Sports and Politics Summary

[Sports and Politics Summary]

 

“Sport unites people.”

 

-Nelson Mandela similarly recognized the “Unique power of sport to heal and bring together” a deeply divided South Africa.

 

(Nelson Mandela/Source: Daum Image)

 

 

“Sport has the power to change the world.”

“Sport has the power to inspire.”

“Sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

“Sport speaks to youth in a language they understand.”

“Sport can create hope where there was only despair.” (Nelson Mandela in 2000)

 

 

 

“This unique power of sport to unite all of humanity is on e of the most important things that the Olympic Games can give us in our troubled times.” (IOC President Thomas Bach)

 

(Thomas Bach IOC위원장 강릉명예시민증 수여식에 앞서 강릉시청 현관 방명록 작성 후 향후 강릉올림픽 박물관 전시용 소감작성 및 서명 현장/ 2018년 3월10일)

 

 

 

1. Definition

 

1) Sports and Politics (=Sport Diplomacy)---->Use of       sport as a means to influence diplomatic, social and political relations

2) Sport Diplomacy----->may transcend cultural differences and bring people together

 

2. Olympics/Sports and Politics

 

1) Olympics(Olympics led national diplomacy)------>often the biggest political example of using sport for diplomatic means----->a remarkable increase in the number of countries having established diplomatic relations following the Seoul 1988 Olympics

2) Seoul 1988 Olympics----->an efficient channel for Korea to be best known to the world and catalyst to bring change in the process of its democratization

 

3) Seoul 1988 Olympics------->a stepping stone to end the cold war era------->German Reunification in 1990----->Commonweath Independent States from Soviet Union

 

4) PyeongChang2018---->Sport leads politics----->an optimal political stage to bring together South and North Koreas in peace through dialogues and exchange of communications both culturally and politically-------->consequently leading to a Summit meeting between South and North Koreas

 

5) Football War between El Salvador and Honduras----->the most infamous declaration of politics and sport

 

3. Pingpong Diplomacy

 

 

1) In the 1970s ------>an exchange of table tennis players from the United States and the People's Republic of China-------->led to a thaw in Sino-Americanrelations------->eventually led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's rapprochement with China

 

2) On 10 April 1971------>the first U.S. sports delegation & more U.S. journalists entering China since 1949------->U.S. government’s announcement to lift lift its 20-year embargo on trade with China-------->Nixon having become the first U.S. President to pay a visit to China on 15 July------->Sino-American Summit meeting

 

 

4. Power of Sport and Legacy of PyeongChang 2018

 

1) In an often divided world, sport is a unique and important connective tissue that binds people together, both across and within societies

1) In PyeongChang2018, the South and North Korean Delegations are marching together behind a “unified Korea” flag in the opening and closing ceremonies.

 

2) They have trained together at a North Korean ski facility in the lead-up to the Games, and they will be supported by fans from both countries, as the North is sending hundreds of supporters to Pyeongchang.

 

3) Sport has once again proven to be an effective mechanism to break the impasse and get the countries not just talking but working together.

 

4) We all hope that the diplomatic momentum that is built in the Korean mountain community of Pyeongchang will continue after the Games end.

 

5) Any discussion of the power of sport has finally to include its importance as a vehicle to teach our youth – and the rest of us – the lessons of leadership, good health, teamwork, fair play, self-reliance and continuous improvement.

 

6) Sport is particularly powerful for young girls, and for both genders, studies have demonstrated that participating in sport can lead to better performance in school and better lives once students have graduated.

 

7) Sport isn’t just important because we can play it our whole lives, but also because the lessons we learn in sport stay with us.

 

8) I know we will all feel a sense of hope for one of our world’s most troubled regions when we see the unified Korean flag flying in PyeongChang2018.

 

 

9) Let’s not let this moment pass – not just on the Korean peninsula, but around the globe – and embrace the power of sport to connect us, ease tensions and help us realize we share much more than what divides us.

 

(From an article by Mark Ein/ Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Venturehouse Group, USA/ 09 Feb 2018)