Pope describes role of sports

December 17, 2012 - “A culture of sports based on the primacy of the human person; sports at the service of man and not man at the service of sports.” This is how Pope Benedict XVI set sports in perspective on Monday as he welcomed in the Vatican a delegation of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) along with Italy’s medal winners at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games this year. “A sport that wants to give full meaning to one who practices it must always be at the service of the person,” the Pope said. “Therefore what is at stake is not only respect for rules, but the vision of man who practices it, and who at the same time, needs education, spirituality and transcendent values.” In fact, sports is an educative and cultural good, that reveals man to himself and leads him to realize the profound value of his life.” Pope Benedict touched upon several virtues of sporting activities such as fairness in competition, respect for one’s body, the sense of solidarity, altruism as well as joy, satisfaction and celebration, both in the professional as well as in amateur sports. All this, he said, presupposes a journey of authentic human development, built upon renunciation, tenacity, patience and above all humility, which is not applauded but which holds the key to victory. “The pressure to produce significant results must never drive one to take shortcuts such as doping, the Pope said. Team spirit, he pointed out, is not only an incentive to avoid these dead ends, but also a support to those who acknowledge a mistake, so the athlete feels accepted and is helped.