Peace is the watchword for Olympism, says outgoing IOC chief Thomas Bach
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IOC president Thomas Bach had to balance the strong emotions aroused over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when it came to Russian participation in Paris last year.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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OLYMPIA – Thomas Bach focused on how peace is the essence of the Olympics, but also how fragile it is in a speech on March 18 at the opening of the final International Olympic Committee (IOC) session he will preside over after 12 years in power.
The seven candidates vying to succeed the 71-year-old German as IOC president were in the audience gathered in a marquee as the rain poured at Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics.
Bach’s successor will be elected on March 20 but he will remain till June to ensure a smooth handover, something not accorded to him when he replaced Jacques Rogge in 2013.
“The Olympic Games and the values they represent have endured for millennia,” he said.
“And yet, the course of human history reminds us of their fragility.”
Bach himself has had a turbulent ride including a Russian doping scandal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, Russia’s invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The latter forced the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games to 2021 and affected the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.
Bach, speaking at a ceremony which mixed speeches by Greek dignitaries and entertainment including a rousing rendition of Zorba The Greek, said the rain was a good omen.
He said the heavy rain at the Paris 2024 Games opening ceremony was followed by a successful fortnight of competition.
“Nothing can go wrong,” he said drily, referring to the 144th Session.
Bach’s more serious message was about the original Olympic Truce (the ekecheiria), how warring nations laid down arms for just over two weeks and how the concept was revived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, seen as the creator of the modern Games.
“Then as now, the idea of promoting peace through sport was in stark contrast to the prevailing zeitgeist (mood),” he said.
“When we see today how Coubertin went against all the divisive and bellicose trends of his time, we can only admire even more his courage and audacity.”
Bach, who won fencing team foil gold in the 1976 Montreal Games, had to balance the strong emotions aroused over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when it came to Russian participation in Paris last year.
Ultimately some were permitted to – if they met certain conditions – but only as neutral athletes.
“The athletes even came together before the opening of the Olympic Games to make a moving call for peace,” he said.
“This call for peace included athletes whose countries are presently divided by war and conflict. The athletes showed us how our world would be, if we all were to live in this Olympic spirit of peaceful co-existence.”
Meanwhile, the Olympic community paid tribute to World Sailing vice-president Line Markert after the 48-year-old Dane, her partner Andreas Christensen and their son were killed in a plane crash in Switzerland.
Bach honoured her contribution to sport at the opening of his session. The family were returning from a ski trip when their private aircraft crashed shortly after take-off on March 17.
“This is an awful tragedy and a huge shock,” said Li Quanhai, president of World Sailing. “Our thoughts are with Line and Andreas’ family and friends at an unimaginably difficult time.
“Line was an extraordinary person, known and admired across our global sailing community.”
AFP, REUTERS
