Editorial Reflections
Olympics show that rivals can live in peace
The spirit of the Olympics, the gathering of athletes from many nations provided quite a contrast to the pending or not pending invasion by Russian troops near Ukraine.
The war games standoff, with distrust, animosity, fear, troop movements, counter threats and enemy images, played in the background as athletes swooped down slopes, flew in the air doing twists and turns, skated with artistic and technical expertise, raced around tracks and competed in a myriad of "games" in the cold.
Yes, they are rivals. Yes, some are there only to win. Yes, there was a doping scandal. Despite that, many participants admired the skills of competitors from other countries—hugging each other after a run down the slopes or across the ice. Some returned just to be there.
They know each other. They meet each other at many competitions. Behind the scenes—even behind the competition—is a community of competitors who display a camaraderie and friendships that supersede their competition for gold, silver or bronze.
They are all great athletes and meet each other continually in global competitions. They know how tricky it is to have a perfect performance. Snow, ice, wind, temperatures, nerves and other conditions may vary on the same slope or rink when they compete. There is chance, as well as expertise. There are the judges' calls and hundredths of a second differences in time between many of them. Photos are often needed to determine whose skate or ski crossed the finish line first.
Yes, they compete for a nation, but they are also people of different nationalities competing for their own or other nations.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach opened the Winter Games with the Russia-Ukraine tensions in mind, and a plea to give peace a chance: "In our fragile world—where division, conflict and mistrust are on the rise—we show the world, yes, it is possible to be fierce rivals while at the same time living peacefully and respectfully together." Athletes can show the world how it looks for people to "respect rules and each other." While competing for the highest prize, he said, the athletes "live peacefully together in the Olympic Village," and engage in "peaceful competition, building bridges, never erecting walls, uniting humankind in all our diversity." The Olympic ideal is "promoting peace and human understanding," he said.
The Olympics are an opportunity for intercultural encounter to build relationships among young athletes, crossing international boundaries and ideologies.
From studies at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey near Geneva, Switzerland, I knew a Greek Orthodox leader in the World Council of Churches (WCC) who worked with both the WCC and the IOC because both foster global ties to build understanding and friendships that lead some to seek peace and justice.
Ecumenism builds respect and trust needed for a healthy world. It comes out of an awareness that competitive expressions of faith actually turn people off because they counter faith teachings to love.
Both global sports and faith gatherings have the potential to instill bonds across divisions of nations, beliefs, cultures and races. People become attentive to what happens within and among nations, aware that conflicts and oppression affect people they know personally.
Both the recent Olympics and the upcoming WCC Assembly plant seeds that have the potential to bear fruit beyond the scope of either event through relationships and perspectives nurtured in new bonds that are life changing.
Mary Stamp - Editor
