Crossing divides to change the world
The five Olympic rings — whose blue, yellow, black, green and red colors represent every nation’s flag — is among the most recognizable symbols in the world. What those rings mean, however, differs from person to person, as their perception is shaped by their own experiences, relationship to sports and the media.
When I look at those five rings joined together, I see the Olympic and Paralympic values of friendship, respect, excellence, determination, inspiration, courage and equality.
We, as a species, crossed vast cultural and geographic divides to create this great celebration of humanity, and with that event attached a distinctive philosophy. That philosophy is a way of life based on the joy found in physical effort, the educational value of being a positive and responsible social example, and respect for basic fundamental ethical principles. The goal is to use sports as a means to unite humankind harmoniously, promote peace and preserve human dignity.
When I was 8, I had no concept of the Olympics or what the Olympics would eventually mean to my life. At that age, when I discovered luge, I only saw it as the ultimate sledding hill and one of the few things I looked forward to during the frigid winters in Lake Placid, N.Y.
As time went on and my passion for luge took me to Europe at the impressionable age of 13, I began to see how fulfilling this sport was, even outside of competition. The friendships I developed with competitors helped shape me into a better athlete, son, brother and community member. When I qualified for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, I had the opportunity to experience the Olympics, and the Olympic philosophy, firsthand.
I learned that the competition is only one small part of the Olympic experience. I joined the other U.S. athletes to walk in the opening ceremonies to represent an entire nation.
I got to meet some of America’s greatest winter athletes, and saw how humble and inspiring they were. During the ceremony, seeing a crowd filled with people from around the world that would support and cheer us on, showcased how sports can cross divides and bring disparate peoples together in celebration.
Another way I saw how sports could unite countries and cultures was, unfortunately, a result of the passing of Georgia luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training accident. Athletes joined together in remembrance to pay respect and help process the tragedy in front of the world’s media.
The Olympics in South Korea is my third Winter Games, and a trend I have seen since Vancouver in the buildup to both the summer and winter Olympic Games, is media coverage straying from the athletes or the values of Olympism, which I believe makes the Olympic Games society’s greatest event.
We need to highlight the athletes who don’t take shortcuts and who compete through determination, perseverance and consistency to attain what people may see as impossible. We need to show our youth the heroes of the Olympics, not the negative and easily sensationalized aspects of humanity.
As amateur athletes who, for the most part, do not receive the coverage that professional athletes enjoy, the Olympics is our opportunity to show integrity, determination and the sacrifices that we have made to pursue our passion. This is the opportunity to highlight true role models for society and focus on how we can find a common theme through sports and connect with other people from around the world. How a community of people from such different backgrounds can find friendship and understanding.
The Olympic movement is the one event that brings the world together in a harmonious expression of human nature. We are all different in terms of language, ethnicity and culture, and the beauty of the Olympics is that our societal differences do not matter. We need to refocus the narrative surrounding the Olympics on the positive ideals of Olympism, the meaning of the five rings, athletic heroism and positive societal role models. Sports can, do and will change the world.