We need sports at times like this

Whatever sport you love, whatever team you follow, its capacity to uplift and unite people all over the world is unmatched. Even in defeat, it offers us an escape from our troubles, no matter how temporary and this has been constant throughout the history of sport. The last few days have been depressing. Lets face it, we have so needed sport this week. The sudden death of Rugby’s first global superstar, Jonah Lomu from kidney failure was depressing enough. That such a supreme athlete who combined power, pace and skill could be cut down in such a young age really is a tragedy.  The indiscriminate killing of people in the bars of Paris is even harder to comprehend. The outpouring of emotion across Europe reflects the shock that we all feel and my heart go out to all those affected by these troubles. One of the more depressing news articles of the week was that the childrens’ charity childline has reported increased calls from children who are fearful that world war three has started.  

Arguments rage across the internet and various social media platforms about partiality of coverage. After all, worse atrocities are committed almost daily in other parts of the world with little media coverage, the argument goes. This writer’s two pence worth is that human nature dictates that the closer we are to a troubled spot, the more attention we focus on it and France is very much on our doorstep. As a teenager growing up in Nigeria during the 80s and early 90s, despite my own interest in international affairs, the national news media focused far less attention on the troubles of the distant West such as the Brighton bombing of 1984 or the Manchester bombing of 1996 than domestic troubles and that of our continental neighbours. It is however a humbling thought that people risk their all to escape from different parts of the world to the West in search of safety and a better life.  Yet as Madrid, London and now Paris has shown, the honest, daily pursuit of that better life, now more than ever carries an inherent danger of an indiscriminate end.

The recent events of Paris and the on going near lock down of Brussels have affected sportsmen and women as much as they have affected us. France has more nationals playing in the premiership than any other nationality apart from England. Belgium is also well represented not least at my own club. That these sportsmen have managed any sort of focus and been able to perform at something near their competitive best is a tribute to the human spirit. My admiration and heartfelt thanks go to all sportsmen and women as well as their coaches for making sure that Sport continues to provide that escape. There is much that our leaders and politicians can learn from sport despite it’s imperfections and I hope that through sport, humanity can forge an era of comradeship and improve our world for all.