In a current climate of war and conflict, it is important that people have the opportunity to share some joy with one another. Sport can unite communities, cities and countries. Not everybody loves sport, but regardless of your views on the sporting world, you cannot hide away from the fact that it is a great way of bringing people together from all walks of life. You can have a stadium full of people with different religions, ethnicities, sexualities and genders all with the same intention of cheering on their favourite sports team or performer. Sport gives people who would ordinarily never have anything in common or associate with one another, the opportunity to come together and share what can sometimes be priceless emotions. People often claim that they have hugged a random person in a football stadium when a goal has gone in and it has felt entirely normal. Watching live sport gives people a release and an escape from reality where for that short period of time all worries are put to one side. With the 33rd Olympic Games taking place this summer in Paris, it will be a great opportunity for countries to put their differences to one side and embrace the spirit of the Olympic Games.
We have previously seen a deeply divided South Africa unite and come together through sport. In 1995 the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup and Nelson Mandela appeared on the pitch in front a largely white crowd, who then started chanting his name. We have seen North and South Korea compete together in the winter Olympics and Pakistani and Indian tennis doubles pairing Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi despite their countries often being in conflict with one another. Nelson Mandela once said “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where there was only despair.” Even if you are not an avid sports fan, I urge you to embrace what is likely to be a fantastic sporting summer and unite with people within your community, you never know you might enjoy it!
