Source: www.guardian.co.tt
By: Brian Lewis
The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) along with 204 other NOCs, Olympic partners and stakeholders will join hearts, thoughts, minds and arms across oceans to acknowledge 365 days to go before the opening ceremony of London 2012. When Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, established the modern Olympic Movement in 1894 his intention was to celebrate the ancient Greek ideals at the heart of Olympism by blending sport with culture and education. He believed that the Olympic movement should be an educational movement for young people worldwide and that modern Olympism can contribute to the balanced development of people and help build a peaceful world that places a high value on human dignity.
If he were alive today one can only wonder what his thoughts would be-happy and celebratory? Would he acclaim as a success the activity of the Olympic movement symbolised by the five interlaced rings that cover the five continents? Norway mourns the brutal killing of near one hundred innocent victims of an act of hate perpetrated by a fellow citizen. Here at home over two hundred victims of crime, the classification is not as important, as their death, are a stark reminder that the concept of a peaceful world is far from a reality.
These days the true measure of what the Olympics, the Olympic Movement and Olympism is really about is overshadowed by the high profile architects of bribery and corruption, who dominate and control world sport.
There is serious debate taking place among sports administrators about the fairness of kangaroo justice even as young people here and around the world are sentenced to death in the kangaroo courts of hate and crime. The ancient Greeks considered sport to be vital for social harmony, understanding and peace. In their society sport was an integral part of general education and seen as vital to developing in its young people proper physical and mental balance.
Sport stood on an equal footing with art, philosophy and music as these disciplines formed what the ancient Greeks espoused were the building blocks for the harmonious development of the body, character and mind.
Coubertin believed with his heart and soul that the ancient Greeks provided a model on which to base a modern Olympic movement and Olympic Games.
When asked why he decided to revive the Olympic Games and establish the Olympic Movement Coubertin is said to have responded: “To enable and strengthen sports, to ensure their independence and duration, and thus to enable them better to fulfill the educational role incumbent upon them in the modern world.”
The core values of Olympism appear to have lost their meaning in the contemporary world that places tremendous emphasis on materialistic benefits.
Along the continuum of life, commercialism and growth of the Olympic Games is near immeasurable but one would hope that the founding principles are the common thread.
Olympism is not just a philosophy but a lifestyle. Violence, corruption and bribery are contradictory to the Olympic concepts, principles and values. Are tomorrow’s celebrations emboldened by Coubertin’s words: “The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight, the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well.” They should be because to some the battle seems lost—Coubertin is long gone and so to his dream. Olympic sceptics will not enjoy the hype and hullabaloo surrounding tomorrow’s London 2012 one year to go celebrations.
On the other hand those who still believe in the fundamental principles of Olympism understand that where there is life there is hope. Tomorrow’s celebration presents another opportunity to promote Olympic principles and values. The message must be clear and simple to understand—The enduring appeal of sport, play and the Olympic Games will outlive us mere mortals, our human quibbles and shortcomings and weaknesses.
Brian Lewis is the Honorary Secretary General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee http // www.ttoc.org. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.