“This rugby is a political calculation...no, it’s a Human calculation” this was what Nelson Mandela said when he architected South Africa’s famous victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The infamous victory sparked by Mandela’s vision proved everyone wrong, when no one gave them a chance. “According to the experts, we'll reach the quarter-finals, and no further...According to the experts, you and I should still be in jail!” Mandela, replied. Not only did South Africa beat all odds to win the rugby world cup but more importantly unite the nation which has been beleaguered by the apartheid system.
Dato’ Razali Ibrahim, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports speaking at the official opening of the Muar Malay Badminton Championship 2009 called on Malaysians to emphasize more on sports development so that it could help to foster better unity ties among the people because sports in every level has been able to bring Malaysians together throughout history.
Dato’ Razali Ibrahim, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports speaking at the official opening of the Muar Malay Badminton Championship 2009 called on Malaysians to emphasize more on sports development so that it could help to foster better unity ties among the people because sports in every level has been able to bring Malaysians together throughout history.
“There was no racial borders in sports where different races joined hands to form teams to compete” he said. This holds true when we recently experienced the Thomas & Uber Cup 2010 held in Kuala Lumpur. Waves of Malaysians, irrespective of race and colour wrapped in Jalur Gemilang throng the Putra stadium with one purpose – to support the Malaysian team.
Sports is a universal language spoken by almost everyone in the world. Regardless of what language you grew up speaking, the World Cup or the Olympics resonates immediately to anyone in any part of the world. Sports speaks all languages. Whether you’re walking through the streets of Africa , China or Paris, the direction to the stadium is a simple hand gesture away.
Sports teaches us important and fundamental life skills. Sports is not merely just a physical activity whereby you have a good sweat but also a tool to shape our lives. Values like teamwork, sportsmanship, and responsibility are the essence to everyday lives just like sports.
One thing that sports does so well over and over again is to unite divided nations. War torn nations like Iraq and South Africa have proved to the world that despite their problems at home, they’re able to unite as a team and nation. Iraq won the football Asian Cup in 2007 and South Africa the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
The beauty of sports is its tendency to bring out the best in everyone and spring unexpected result. Just ask the likes of North Korea who played their first World Cup in 44 years last June or the Korean team who demolished the mighty great wall of China in the recent concluded Uber Cup. The list is endless.
On a closing note, schools are the best way to instil sports amongst the young. It’s sad to see many school fields being replaced by new school blocks or computer labs today. The recent announcement by the Deputy Prime Minster, Tan Sri Muhyiddin to put emphasize on sports in school is a welcome and long overdue news. The 1 Student 1 Sport program will hopefully help students and parents see the importance of an all round education system. The challenge now is creating the awareness.
No comments:
Post a Comment