(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The London Olympics 2012 fever is mounting every passing day.There have been some good performances in many individual and team events.Sports are always fun and that too at a global platform.I am following them avidly, like the rest of the millions.And while watching them, i gave it a deep thought.
Pete Sampras (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
All my life i have been extremely inspired by sportsman spirit and good temperament in sports, infact more than sport and talent at times.That’s because according to me, there can be a a few remarkable sports players, but even fewer amongst them would be having sportsman spirit.It is a rare sentiment and attitude and also difficult to host with grace.Defeat is usually considered a failure to win, not a battle lost to the best.People have hard times accepting defeat wholeheartedly, considering the opponent superior or better is bit too hard on their esteem, devotion and sweat.It is important to play sports with the true spirit of the game, with victory only an initiative, not an obsession.
I tend to disagree with those who think that too much sportsman spirit kills the spirit of winning. Both things go hand in hand in sports.An appetite to win at all costs will not exist if we take sport as a sport, an opportunity to exhibit talents, provide a good show, compete with heart and mind, and to approve the results.The impetus should not be success only, but the success of the best of the best!
Sir Vivian Richards. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If there are a few i consider in the Hall of Fame for Sportsman Spirit, they would be:
1.Pete Sampras
2.Viv Richards
3.Pele
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Roger Federrer
Pelé (Photo credit: ESPORTEPRESS)
Champions of their game and sport, all of the above were rarely losing temper on the court, i never saw them argue with opponents or empires, kept their cool during the games.Above that, they never got emotional after losing, i never saw them showing their frustrations or tears.Most of them encouraged and appreciated opponents on their talents and victories.They were dedicated sportsmen, dedicated to fair play and sportsman spirit.They were always both well in control of the game, as well as their emotions.A true leader of sport and sportsman spirit!I idealize their nifty temperaments.Do reply to tell whether your opinion is similar to mine, and whom you idealize for true sportsman spirit!
Roger Federer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The commercial factor of sports is also gulping down the true essence of the game.The idea of making money out of sport is growing to reduce game to the mere word only.I feel sportsmen are barged with excessive pressures by sponsors, media campaigns and publicity to focus more on success rather than enjoying the sports and coming up with the best talents they possess.Followers of sport are also held on waiting with thousands and thousands of commercials making them forget what they were actually viewing,the match or the commercials.This has made them focus more on the results in the evening headline news, or as a scorecard on any sport internet site.The less interested the viewers, the least interested the sportsmen!
Sachin Tendulkar (Photo credit: R@VITH)
If we have sportsman spirit, their will be no foul play, doping, match-fixing.We are inviting all that by keeping pressures on players, and expecting victories only in return.It ‘s so unfair to expect that they are less-human than us, they can take pressures better than us,and they can never have the lust for money, and they can never be easily distracted with monetary needs.All we need to do is to keep their talents and money apart.
There are sport ethics as well.Players are not beyond the rules which govern sport.True sportsman is one who exhibits sportsman spirit.It should be a rule of sports, those who breech sportsman spirit by exhibiting any violent, irrational or unacceptable behavior should be heavily fined, or penalized.
Let’s expect more of true spirit, which uplifts the importance and viability of sports!May the Hall of Fame for True Sportsman Spirit grow in times to come…Let’s change our approach towards sports as a way to get even, a medium to provide monetary benefits only, let’s emphasize more on the actual purpose of sport – excellence, talent, entertainment, presenting our very best, providing a good show to the viewers.Let’s keep greed, money laundering, betting, corruption away from sports…let’s aim high!
Compassion Through Thoughts! 