In my point of view, the Olympic Games, after more than century, are rallying more popularity and vitality simply because the event is a showcase of globally-shared values and mankind's common ideals---peace, friendship, fairness and progress.
When I was a competitive table tennis player, I was completely bent on training, and I played to win and to seek excellence, as is interpreted by the Olympic spirits---faster, higher and stronger. But when I realized that not everyone at the Games gets a medal, and most athletes compete just to be involved in the Games, I began to focus on “competing for the involvement."
I have since learned to respect and admire those who display courage and put away their egos in competition. In my eyes, they are the real winners, and should be shown as much respect and admiration as that given to the medal winners. “Fair play" is a goal shared by all players; and the Olympic arena is the right place for every participant to achieve personal goals regardless of his/her nationality, race, religion and gender.
After retirement, I devoted myself to help Beijing win the Olympic bid in 1993 and 2007 respectively, which gave me a broader vision of the Olympic Games. For host countries, the Olympics is unmatched as a showcase of a nation's image and strength. And for the world at large, it is a grand gala in which people from across the whole world communicate with, learn about and make friends with one another.
Today, the Olympics goes beyond a competitive sports event that could be defined as a kind of spiritual Eden breeding and nursing all of mankind's benevolent longings and sentiments. For an entire century, the modern Olympic Games, overcoming setbacks and hardships, has unceasingly carried out the goals and spirits of the ancient Olympiad. With so many threats and challenges facing mankind, the proliferation of Olympic spirits is increasingly deemed as an important spiritual support to deliver us out of the plight.
Recently, I have been always pressed by reporters for predictions on this concern: How many gold medals could China win in the upcoming Olympic table tennis competition? To be frank, I would rather focus more on the sportsmanship of the Chinese players and the protocols of the Chinese spectators this time, which reminds me of what came about not long ago at the track-and-field test competition held in the newly completed Bird's Nest, the National Stadium.
The competition did not merely appeal to many spectators as an event in the Bird's Nest, but as a chance to see famous hurdler Liu Xiang. They applauded and cheered for Mr. Liu; and rarely for other players. Immediately after Liu finished his test competition, half of the audience left. What I want to express is that Chinese spectators need to learn more about the basic protocol to be followed and appreciate sports which bring out sportsmanship, but have not necessarily yielded the best results.
The Olympic Games will, for the first time, set foot on Chinese soil, and 1.3 billion Chinese people will have their first encounter with the grand sports event. It is not only a cherished opportunity to promulgate the Olympic spirits in the world's most populous country, but enlightenment for the Chinese and the world at large.
The author is Deng Yaping, former world and Olympic table tennis champion. Translated by People's Daily Online
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