Is Sports an Ambassador for Peace? Vol 8, Issue 43, Pg 28 by Sarah Galiotto

The Olympic Games seems to bring the aspirations of hope in the air. For two weeks, unity in the sports world is occurring globally. This year in Turin, the media says that there was no defining moment. How wrong can the media be? Well, that is a rhetorical question.
However, for the United States, there was controversy between Olympic teammates and skiing wild men, but there were other highlights that brought “hope” to the world. Joey Cheek donated his bonus for winning to the charity Right to Play, an organization by Johann Olav Koss that “creates a healthier, safer world for children.” This act of kindness inspired many others to donate money to worthy causes.
The act of kindness and caring, goodwill towards others; this is the kind of spirit that Jim Cain, U.S. ambassador to Denmark, has and believes that the world can look to for “hope.” The Olympic Games bring forth countries from all over to compete together, and Cain feels that this along with US sports diplomacy can help find other countries a way to search for peace. He feels that since sports brings communities and nations together in the US, maybe it can do it around the world and the Olympic Games is one of the events that can help this cause. Yet, Cain is still stifled by a Denmark cartoon that says nobody watched the Olympics; he has “hope” that sports will help promote unity.
I believe that sports could help bring “peace.” I mean I know that it won’t bring all peace but it does provide some form of “hope.” Just look at how the Super Bowl brought so many people in Pittsburgh together. It was all one big black and gold festivity of being proud of their Football team.
Therefore, I think that sports can help be an “ambassador for peace” however; I do not think it will be a long-term solution, but it is nice to have “hope.”