Thank heavens for the Olympics

It was well past midnight on Friday, and I sat glued to the live coverage of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. And I was truly overwhelmed by this spectacle. In a world of so much stress and hate and conflict and violence, here was a manifestation of hope and joy. It was, by all means, an extraordinary event.

It is beyond me to express in words the emotions that this ceremony has evoked. I say this not just because of the glory and the pomp of the ceremony. Opening ceremonies of some previous Games have also been spectacular and unique artistic achievements. Yes, this was Paris, the city of love, and the show was staged not in a stadium but on the River Seine and around the great landmarks of the city. France showcased its cultural and artistic creativity. Incidentally, when it rained the enthusiasm seemed to rise.

Let me make a confession. I almost had tears in my eyes when the John Lennon song ‘Imagine’ was sung. It was a very thoughtful and imaginative presentation. It concluded with the message: “We stand and call for peace”. I need not retell the lyrics of the song and wonder if the message can be faithfully grasped by the educated youth of Pakistan. Just a bit of it: “Imagine all the people / Livin’ life in peace”.

Actually, my emotional response to this exhilarating experience is dictated by the contrast that it portrays with the real world. This world was thrown into the background, momentarily, by a grand display of universal brotherhood. Here, 200 countries can come together to compete in an arena of peace.

As for the real world that I alluded to at the outset, it is too ugly and fearsome to even look at. Speaking as a Pakistani, I am utterly shaken by what is happening on many different levels of national existence. Why can’t we be more rational, more humane, more civilized? For that matter, why is there so much pain and suffering and injustice in so many parts of the world? Where does the spirit of the Olympics belong in this scenario?

Obviously, it is my defence against mental distress that I want to be distracted by this opening ceremony of the Olympic Summer Games. We may remain engaged with the Games until August 11 – the closing ceremony.

Frankly, I am not a sports person, though I am often diverted by live coverage of a match or sporting contest. It is true that I know more about cricket than any other game. But I am writing this column on the Olympics to highlight the values and the spirit that the Games embody. Here is something for the world to think about.

It may be worth recalling that the modern Olympic Movement was founded by Pierre de Coubertin, a Frenchman. He presented the concept of Olympism more than 120 years ago. He was passionate about making the world a better place through sport. He believed that sport could help bring communities together, stop war and promote healthy competition free from cheating and discrimination.

Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create “a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, social responsibility and respect for universal fundamental ethical values”.

There, naturally, is a history of the Olympic Games and I was reminded of it by the documentary that was shown as a build-up to the opening ceremony. The idea of building a Village to house the athletes was born in Paris with the 1924 Olympics. A general sense of participation is generated with the relay of the Olympic torch that is finally used to light the Olympic Flame at the venue of the Games.

I was touched by the clip of Muhammad Ali, not really in good health, lighting the flame with the torch during the opening ceremony of the Games in Atlanta in 1996. It is one of the most inspirational memories in Olympic history.

Now, I am hesitating to talk about our participation in the Games. It is a sad story that we may ignore on this occasion. As many as 10,500 athletes are participating in the Paris Olympics. We have sent seven, with 11 officials. Our only hope for a gold medal is Arshad Nadeem, in the category of men’s javelin throw. If we are lucky, it will be one of 329 gold medals to be won. The last time we won an Olympic gold was in 1984. Don’t ask what happened to the hockey giant that Pakistan once was.

Finally, I want to tell you a happy recollection of Pakistan’s association with the Olympic Games, though it does not relate to the domain of sport or contest for winning a medal. It is to be noted that art has always been a cornerstone of the modern Olympic Games. Just look at how France has used its cultural treasures in the opening ceremony. In the early 20th century, the founder spoke about the importance of combining “muscle and mind”.

Anyhow, the Seoul Olympics were held in 1988 and they had invited international and local sculptors and artists to contribute to a special exhibition for the Olympic Park and this exhibition was made permanent. It so happened that I visited Seoul in 1991 and was taken to see the Olympic Park and its sculpture garden.

Imagine my surprise and sense of pride when I noticed something I had been very familiar with. It was a wood sculpture by Shahid Sajjad. A piece I had seen in his house because Shahid was a dear friend. When I returned to Karachi and told Shahid about my ‘find’, he recalled how he had been invited to participate in that exhibition and it was a big honour for him. But he forgot to tell us about it. This memory was revived when I was watching the great show enacted in Paris.

The writer is a senior journalist. He can be reached at: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com