David Grevemberg: To ‘dare greatly’ is to realise dreams for all

Published on Tuesday 21 February 2012 03:09

Sport is about more than just competing, writes David Grevemberg – it has the power to change nations

Nelson Mandela set the bar high by declaring: “Sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else can.” It’s a huge claim. But Mandela should know, having said this during one of the most memorable moments of his remarkable life – as he sat in the stand of the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, for 80 minutes watching his country play the mighty New Zealand All Blacks in the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

There he was, the newly elected first black president of South Africa, the living embodiment of a gruelling but ultimately triumphant struggle against apartheid, sitting resplendent in a green Springboks shirt and cap, supporting a team and a sport which had been regarded as symbols of oppression and white domination.

By sheer charismatic power of persuasion and his determination, he convinced his black countrymen and women to make this team their own, even though there was still just one black Springbok on the field of play that day. While neither a huge fan of rugby, nor a great expert in the game, he understood its potency, its power. He led support from the front, embracing the squad, befriending them personally and, by encouraging them to adopt an old black protest song as their new national anthem, marking another profound moment of positive change in South Africa’s history.

The match itself was an intense contest, clinched only in the final seven minutes by the South African team. Afterwards Mandela took to the field to present the World Cup to the captain of his national side. Inside the stadium the 65,000 crowd cheered euphorically. Across a new united nation, hundreds of thousands of South Africans – of all shades and backgrounds – also savoured the victory and a defining moment of a newly-united country for the first time in its history at ease with the belief and hope in “One Team with One Dream”. “Sport,” Mandela remarked afterwards, “speaks to people in a language they understand.”

Sport indeed has the power to speak loudly and easily, uniting individuals within nations and nations with each other – as we will see in the spectacles of sport that will be this summer’s London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. In 2014, here in Scotland, the opportunity will be ours to bring 71 Commonwealth nations and territories competing in 17 sports together in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, the biggest festival of sport and culture this proud nation will have ever hosted.

But, equally, miles away from the glamour of the world-class occasion, sport will realise its unique ability to speak quietly but distinctly to people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities of its unrivalled capacity to enable lasting change.

At its most basic level that change can be seen as the motivational impact on an individual taking up moderate and regular weekly exercise or a leisure sport activity, which is proven to improve the quality of life, physical and mental health as well as lessening risks of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

On a more ambitious level, competitive sport can bring together and transform communities, creating a common purpose where there was none. As Boris Becker so eloquently put it: “The secret and the strength of sport is that it has its own rules, it knows no skin colour, no religion, no boundaries.” Uniquely through sport, children – whether they live in the east end of Glasgow or the shores of Lake Malawi – get opportunities to gain confidence and a voice. Sport is often the first instance in life where children encounter success – or even failure. It can help them realise, challenge or exceed the expectations of their limits or potential. In a controlled environment, they learn about themselves, others and what could be their place in the ever-changing world.

Like so many people, I am defined by the sport I follow, watch, play, guide and organise. I am a fan, a spectator, a former athlete, a coach, an administrator. Sport is part of our DNA, it’s our passion and purpose. Through it – in common with millions of others from armchair fans to athletes the world over – we learn about failure, joy, disappointment, excitement, inspiration, winning and losing. At every level of whatever beautiful game you love, the lessons abound in maturity, determination, teamwork, humility, responsibility and selflessness.

I believe it’s important and unerringly inspirational to live by the philosophy of “daring greatly”, a concept so beautifully and timelessly developed by US president Theodore Roosevelt, in a lecture he gave on citizenship at the Paris Sorbonne University more than a century ago.

He said: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

Sport allows all of us that chance to “dare greatly”, whether it is in pursuit of a goal, a gold medal or a better world. The journey to Glasgow 2014 is an ideal opportunity for Glasgow, Scotland and the Commonwealth to continue to discover, explore and realise the power of sport.

• David Grevemberg is chief executive of Glasgow 2014, former executive director of sport for the International Paralympic Committee, and a collegiate and Olympic style wrestler. Tonight he is delivering a lecture “The Power of Sport” at Edinburgh Napier University.

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