United we stand

We should never underestimate the value of sport to bring people together on a local, national and international level.

Group of friends watching TV match and cheering. Picture: iStock

WE should never underestimate the value of sport to bring people together on a local, national and international level.

Nelson Mandela knew that sport could unify and heal. Coming out of jail where he spent the best part of his life, he reached out to his former oppressors by donning the Springbok jersey at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It was a momentous gesture as the world watched on.

“Sport has the power to change the world,” he said, “It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

Regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, sport is enjoyed by all; its reach is unrivalled.

In more recent times the friendly against France and England in November 2015 became a memorial to the 129 people killed in the terrorist attack in Paris only days earlier. Many thought the match should be cancelled out of respect for the dead and their families but instead old rivalries were buried as fans from both countries united to sing La Marseillaise - the French national anthem, in a spine-tingling show of unity, defiance and healing.

“We have had a moment of communal grief and this has been good for us,” said current manager of France Didier Deschamps after the game. “There was a sporting meaning and a sporting dimension, but on a human level the match had far greater importance.”

Or consider when Australia won the America’s Cup in 1983. In this case, a celebration rather than a memorial.

In the best of seven race series Australia II, skippered by John Bertrand, came from 1-3 down, and from behind in the final race to win 4-3 and break the USA’s 132-year stranglehold on the title. The whole country got behind the Australian team culminating with then Prime Minister Bob Hawke memorably claiming that “any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!”

Such moments and events have a trickle-down effect into our communities.

When Australia qualified for the FIFA World Cup against Uruguay in November 2005 the game delivered a record audience of more than 6.3 million Australians tuning in to the live broadcast.

As interest in the 2006 World cup peaked A-League clubs reported a surge in membership and at a grassroots level the number of participants has grown from 1.1 million to 1.7 million between 2001 and 2009, most of that attributed to interest in and around Australia’s entry in to the World Cup.

But in the communities sport is not about winning, it’s about helping to build stronger, healthier, happier, and safer communities.

The benefits of community sport are varied and many – it builds social inclusion and a sense of connection; helps bind families through shared experience and achievements, creates new relationships among contrasting social groups; prevents at-risk behaviour such as boredom and apathy; improves academic ability; promotes better mental health through higher levels of self-esteem, motivation and self-worth; and has obvious physical health benefits.

At its essence community sport brings people together – on the field, at training and on the sideline.

And, our obsession with sport also translates into our TV viewing habits.

Over the past 15 years, live sport has dominated our highest ranked programs on TV. We are a nation of avid armchair spectators, with family and friends gathered together to watch a Grand Final, The Emirates FA Cup, a Wallabies international; or a Grand Prix event.

As drama, sport is the great leveller, and as Mandela said, “It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

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Originally published as United we stand