The Hill Times
OTTAWA—After a dizzying beginning of the year that saw numerous global challenges play out in real time—yes, I’m looking at you here, United States President Donald Trump—it is delightful that as we settle into February, the Winter Olympics are happening in Italy.
Frankly, I’d rather escape into an afternoon of ski-mountaineering viewing or luge-relay watching than get pulled into whatever the American president decides to post on Truth Social. We all need a break from the merry-go-round of madness. While the International Olympic Committee comes with its own politics and controversies, they generally take a back seat as the athletes come front and centre to remind us that competition may be brutally tough, but it doesn’t destroy the soul. In fact, it can be inspirational, revelatory, and show us the best virtues of humanity. It was just last week before the Games officially began that we saw the Finnish women’s hockey team postpone its game against Canada because most of its team was battling norovirus. Canada didn’t demand the Finns be forced to forfeit; instead, they found time this week to make up the game. Even in pursuit of an Olympic gold medal—the most prized in the world—sportsmanship can still be found. Canadians of a certain age know that the Olympics have brought cheating in sport into the spotlight. But those warts aren’t simply spun away or discarded. Best efforts are made to combat that, with violators subject to significant penalty and a ban from sport. That sort of accountability is refreshing in and of itself. Imagine real accountability in the political arena, especially in the gladiatorial alternative universe that Trump wants to curate and dominate. We are still searching for that. Global fans of the Olympics can find space to recognize, celebrate, and suffer with competitors from other countries whose politics are not our cup of tea. This past weekend, more than a few Canadians I know felt the agony and disappointment of American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn. Vonn, already a highly decorated athlete, returned to the Olympics at the age of 41 with a severely damaged knee to try to compete again. In her race on Feb. 7, she had a brutal wipeout and broke her leg. Her Games, and likely career, are now done for good. No one was saying she deserved it and good riddance; instead, it was the opposite. A fallen champion was lauded for showing us that a passion to pursue something you love knows no bounds. It's true when Canada and the U.S. meet in both women’s and men’s hockey, national support and divisions may rear their heads. Whatever the outcome, in either case, there will be a pronounced respect of their fellow competitors. They may motivate themselves with rhetoric, but their ongoing reality will see them rejoining their professional teams where they will blend for common purpose. They will “hate” each other for 60 minutes on the ice, but once the competition is done will have a lifetime bond that sport produces. A divide happens over a game, but it is just that—sport is the great smoother. While the Olympics is big business and a commercial opportunity, it has been carried forward because of the enduring power of sport to help inspire, unite, and drive us to be better. It provides a healthy escape, and a positive reminder that not only can we fiercely compete to be the best at something, but also marvel at and appreciate the accomplishments of others. That is the common ground of the Olympics, where a winner can take all but that doesn’t mean that is all there is. Tim Powers is chairman of Summa Strategies, and managing director of Abacus Data. He is a former adviser to Conservative political leaders. The Hill Times
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