How socialist countries ruined the amateurism of the Olympic Games, and still hold unfair advantages

Only amateur athletes were allowed at the Olympic Games until the 1988 Seoul Olympics.  Athletes from socialist countries such as the USSR, East Germany were effectively professionals because they made their living from their sports, but they were allowed to be categorized as amateur athletes.  This gave them tremendous advantages over athletes from other countries who were truly amateur athletes. They unfairly took a large number of medals.  As a result, the IOC had no choice but to abandon the amateur rule.

Today, most athletes from democratic countries remain true amateur athletes.  They do not earn salaries from practicing their sports. Many of them have nonsport jobs to support their lives.   However, athletes from countries under totalitarian regimes such as China, North Korea, and Cuba remain paid professionals.

Boxing and wrestling of the Olympics still require amateur status, hence the aforementioned countries enjoy unfair advantages over others in these two sports by sending athletes who are effectively professionals.