There is no disputing the power of mobilization that sports possess, as well as the benefits they offer for leading a healthy life.
Sports are part of the culture of peoples, and regardless of which one is practiced, they have the powerful ability to unite citizens despite ideological differences.
Fans of a sport or a particular team fuel hope in nations that sometimes go through crises, clinging to sports as a balm to ease tensions.
With the Copa América soccer tournament about to begin here in the country, as well as the start of the Olympic Games in Paris, the passionate atmosphere of fans dressed in colors is already being felt.
All sports have brought great joy to our countries in times of crisis.
The power of sports not only transcends borders but also boosts local economies thanks to the passion of fans who have built profitable brands around their favorite teams or athletes.
Unfortunately, for decades, sports have been undervalued in many countries, like my native Colombia, where the value of our athletes, who have brought great glory to the country, is still not recognized.
Especially in the creation of public policies and the allocation of more resources for the promotion and development of sports.
Very few nations have a ministry or a government entity dedicated to this promotion.
And not all educational systems stipulate sports as a mandatory subject.
Sports training schools, even at the doctoral level, are relatively new, which is why the first schools were formed by amateurs who practiced in the streets without any technique.
There are still uninformed skeptics who believe that sports do not merit study, that it is a skill one is born with.
Of course, one can have the skill, but it must be developed with technique and an entire educational infrastructure, beyond informal settings.
Transcending sports beyond brands and fans should be a goal for governments to change perceptions among their citizens.
It could be one of the best strategies to mobilize around political and ideological changes in a country, without using it as a political campaign banner, but by leveraging its full capacity to rally citizens’ interests around an emotion that unites and transforms people’s expectations toward a vision of optimism, hope, and joy.
Let’s believe more in the transformative power of sports without excesses, differences, rivalries, or harmful fanaticism.
Sports are meant to unite, not divide. May our sports identify us, and may our athletes be celebrated in their own land rather than having to migrate to seek more support.
That would be the greatest victory for those athletes, teams, fans, managers, and governments who have been faithful to their passion for years, like those in the Colombian city of Bucaramanga, where its soccer team and supporters waited 27 years to win their first national tournament championship.
Congratulations, Búcaros!
By Omaira Martínez Cardona – Colombian Journalist
oma66co@gmail.com
Image: Bucaros
