Sportsmanship and Olympic Athletes

Photo sited on from the Washington Post – August 5, 2012

Most nights I have stayed up entirely too late considering the time my alarm rings every morning. My wife and I have just had a difficult time turning off the Olympics. We tell ourselves…”Just one more event” and then it turns into one more. We enjoy watching the athletes compete especially those from the USA.

As I have watched the athletes give everything they have to their particular sport I have been impressed. The medal ceremony and hearing the National Anthem played sometimes brings me to tears. I love seeing their pride in the USA.

When I watch the games I confess I also look for something else…sportsmanship. I know that winners have to be focused but does that mean they have to be unkind to prove it? I watched some athletes show some incredible respect and human spirit while others have been…well pardon me…well…just spoiled rude.

How much human civility does it take to return a handshake, accept a hug or acknowledge a pat on the back? Over the last few days I have watched some remarkable examples of those who displayed sportsmanship and those who did not.

I was moved as I watched gold-medal contender Kirani James exchange bibs with “double amputee blade runner” Oscar Pistorius after Pistorius failed to qualify for the final. I thought to myself, “Now that was class!”

I was also disappointed to watch one of our top USA Gymnasts. She snubbed everyone who reached out to her after she did not “stick” the landing everyone predicted costing her the gold medal. Obviously, you can only be gracious if you win…yes; you did detect sarcasm in that statement.

I like to win. I am highly competitive. I like for my team to win and I like for my country to win. But when it comes to games we have to remember that winning is an “event” and events are something we do. Sportsmanship has to do with character and speaks of who we really are deep down inside.  One is temporary and the other is at the core of our being.

I am looking for Athletes who model their character through their performance and sportsmanship. So “Let those Games Begin.”