Sports, Diversity and Unity

Sep 06, 2024

Informed Opinion - Prof Xavier V. Pereira

The two major international sporting events of the summer of 2024, the European Nations Cup 2024, or Euro 24 football tournament and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are now behind us. Both events were televised to many countries around the world and had a large global audience. Spectator sports has become increasingly popular globally. Being a former sportsperson, I enjoy watching athletic events, and highlights of football matches. Like many of my generation, I have a favourite English professional club team which I support.

Over the past few decades there has been an increase in ethnic diversity in the composition of Western European club football teams. The four major European football leagues – the English Premier League, the Spanish LaLiga, the Italian Serie A and the German Bundesliga – have experienced an influx of players from South America and Africa, with smaller numbers hailing from Asia and North America. Despite this inevitable in-flux of quality football players from around the world there are hints of racism that casts a shadow over European football. This has prompted the European football governing body UEFA, to display the word RESPECT at football matches. In some countries like England the players bend a knee before the start of a game to acknowledge that Black Lives Matter. Most football fans though show unified support for the players of their favourite club.

Internationally too there has been a greater diversity in the composition of national football teams. The German FIFA World Cup champions of 1974 led by the legendary Franz Beckenbauer was an all- Caucasian team whereas the 2014 winning squad was more ethnically diverse.

The emphasis on the 2014 champions over the more ethnically diverse French FIFA World Cup champions of 1998 and 2018 is to highlight the change in attitude toward ethnic diversity in Germany. Former chancellor Angela Merkel’s Germany was supportive of diversity in contrast to that of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany which championed Aryan supremacy. There is however the grievance that many migrants in Germany have not integrated into German society and there is a rising anti-migrant sentiment not only in Germany but in other Western European countries as well. Right wing anti migrant political parties have also gained popularity in recent national and European Union elections.

The diversity policies in many European countries are thought to stem from the principles or values of human rights. Some experts are of the opinion that these policies have arisen from Christian values of respect, dignity, equality, and liberty that have been prevalent in western European countries in the past.

Closer to home Malaysia had successful ethnically diverse football teams in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In the 1970s, Malaysians watched legends like M. Chandran, Soh Chin Aun, Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, Shukor Salleh, and others qualify Malaysia for the 1972 Olympics. The Malaysian teams of this era also won the Merdeka Tournament several times beating the national teams of Japan and South Korea. This team’s greatest achievement was winning the bronze medal at the 1974 Teheran Asian games behind host Iran and second placed Israel. This was an ethnically diverse group of Malaysians footballers who brought glory to the country through patriotic unity backed by a united multiethnic Malaysian people.

The US Olympic contingent, from observations of outward appearance and surnames, was the most diverse of all the countries that participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics. It is a fact that the USA has citizens who have roots in many different countries of the world. This diverse population provided the country with a diverse group of athletes and sportspersons. Many are also of mixed parentage which is further proof of a greater acceptance of ethnic diversity and the growth in numbers of multiethnic individuals. Thus, the triumph of the USA contingent in the final medal tally of the Paris Games is also a triumph for multiethnic diversity, and is an excellent example of unity in diversity.

In the Bible, the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1 – 9), metaphorically portrays the division of monolingual humanity into people who spoke many different languages. It is obvious that human beings are ethnically, culturally, and linguistically different. Research evidence strengthens the obvious. Today we have scientific evidence that population of human beings are genetically diverse. Sociological research confirms cultural differences. These differences have historically often led to conflict yet there have been examples throughout history of cohesion despite differences.

Pentecost was one such experience. The experience of Babel is often compared to the experience of Pentecost. The experience of Babel was divisive. The experience of Pentecost was unifying (Acts of the Apostles chapter 2). People from different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds were depicted as being able to understand each other. The community of early believers were described to be one in heart and mind (Acts 4:32). This unity has often been the goal of the church, schisms, and reformation notwithstanding. Dialogue continues to be a tool in accepting the diversity of religion and denomination.

In a world consisting of countries torn apart by conflict because of differences in ethnicity and religion, sports seems to be a powerful tool of unity amidst diversity. The 2024 Paris Olympics may be behind us now but it will be remembered fondly for the unity among teammates, the friendly exchanges between competitors, and warm audiences that applauded both winners and losers.

(Xavier V. Pereira is a medical doctor, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and an adjunct professor at Taylor’s University School of Medicine. He is also co-founder, director and pro bono psychiatrist of Health Equity Initiatives, an NGO that serves refugees with mental health challenges.)