Hey folks!
As promised yesterday, I am going to tell you something about the Olympic Values today. Also like I mentioned yesterday, most people thought of things like "no doping", "no racism" or "fair play" to be the Olympic values. (One guy really impressed me by throwing in "Citius, Altius, Fortius" which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger". I should really have paid more attention in my Latin classes!).
However, while fair play and the complete absence of racism and doping are of course underlying principles for every athletes, they are rather an expression of the Olympic Values. Let me explain:
When being introduced to all the amazing CEP activities Singapore has in store
for the young athletes, most of them were designed around the Olympic Values. The basic scheme is that athletes will do an activity focused around one or several values to illustrate to them, which influence the Olympic Values can have on his career and his life. So as I said before, they are the base for attitudes like fair play or no doping to emerge. For example, if you know that excellence can not be achieved with performance-enhancing substances, you are hopefully less likely to do doping. And if you realize that a true champion is not only made out of excellence, but also friendship and respect, you'll also understand the importance of fair play and the like.
Talking about champions: When giving presentations in my old high-school, I used this example which I like ver
y much. I told them a story about two athletes (Out of courtesy, I shall not mention their names). One athlete has won everything there is to win in his sport, however, he was also very much respected among other athletes and a very nice guy. The other one was also a very gifted athletes, however, he was a loner and nobody really liked him as he only cared about being successful. Turned out that the two guys were on the same team in a competition and the latter one won. Being a rather extroverted personality, he proclaimed that he is now the greatest athlete in his sport. The other one of course heard this and hence said the following sentence:
As promised yesterday, I am going to tell you something about the Olympic Values today. Also like I mentioned yesterday, most people thought of things like "no doping", "no racism" or "fair play" to be the Olympic values. (One guy really impressed me by throwing in "Citius, Altius, Fortius" which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger". I should really have paid more attention in my Latin classes!).
However, while fair play and the complete absence of racism and doping are of course underlying principles for every athletes, they are rather an expression of the Olympic Values. Let me explain:
When being introduced to all the amazing CEP activities Singapore has in store
for the young athletes, most of them were designed around the Olympic Values. The basic scheme is that athletes will do an activity focused around one or several values to illustrate to them, which influence the Olympic Values can have on his career and his life. So as I said before, they are the base for attitudes like fair play or no doping to emerge. For example, if you know that excellence can not be achieved with performance-enhancing substances, you are hopefully less likely to do doping. And if you realize that a true champion is not only made out of excellence, but also friendship and respect, you'll also understand the importance of fair play and the like.Talking about champions: When giving presentations in my old high-school, I used this example which I like ver
y much. I told them a story about two athletes (Out of courtesy, I shall not mention their names). One athlete has won everything there is to win in his sport, however, he was also very much respected among other athletes and a very nice guy. The other one was also a very gifted athletes, however, he was a loner and nobody really liked him as he only cared about being successful. Turned out that the two guys were on the same team in a competition and the latter one won. Being a rather extroverted personality, he proclaimed that he is now the greatest athlete in his sport. The other one of course heard this and hence said the following sentence:"Dude, you might be a winner, but you are NOT a champion."
What at first glance seems like only a semantic difference, is actually a hu
ge difference in real life. It means that you might win a competition and be a successful person, however, this does not mean that you are a champion. Because it takes a champion to show Excellence (winning competitions), Friendship (being friends with your team mates and even opponents) and Respect (respect and be respected by others). Of course this is a big difference, because success and medals will soon fade and put on some dust. However, being a champion is something that stays with you for all your life, no matter what you do.
And you know what? I think that's true. Because for me, you don't have to be a person like Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps to be a champion. Actually, you don't even need to be an athlete to be a champion
. Let's face it: For every athlete winning an Olympic Medal, there are 100s, probably 1000s that didn't get as far. However, you might be a musician, an author, an engineer or just an ordinary guy - as long as you shape your life by Excellence, Friendship and Respect, you have all the chances you need to become a true champion.
So when the YOG will unite 3,600 young athletes from all over the globe in Singapore, the goal is clear: To teach them the values they need to become true champions - be it as an athlete or whatever it is they want to be!
NOTE: Pictures 1,3+4 © SYOGOC, picture 2 © IOC. Please click on the pictures for further information. No copyright infringement meant!
ge difference in real life. It means that you might win a competition and be a successful person, however, this does not mean that you are a champion. Because it takes a champion to show Excellence (winning competitions), Friendship (being friends with your team mates and even opponents) and Respect (respect and be respected by others). Of course this is a big difference, because success and medals will soon fade and put on some dust. However, being a champion is something that stays with you for all your life, no matter what you do.And you know what? I think that's true. Because for me, you don't have to be a person like Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps to be a champion. Actually, you don't even need to be an athlete to be a champion
. Let's face it: For every athlete winning an Olympic Medal, there are 100s, probably 1000s that didn't get as far. However, you might be a musician, an author, an engineer or just an ordinary guy - as long as you shape your life by Excellence, Friendship and Respect, you have all the chances you need to become a true champion.So when the YOG will unite 3,600 young athletes from all over the globe in Singapore, the goal is clear: To teach them the values they need to become true champions - be it as an athlete or whatever it is they want to be!
NOTE: Pictures 1,3+4 © SYOGOC, picture 2 © IOC. Please click on the pictures for further information. No copyright infringement meant!
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