United in Sport

Typing Australia and Afghanistan into Google, the first search result told me the cricket result I was already aware of, Australia had beaten Afghanistan by 275 runs in the 2015 Cricket World Cup. However, the second search result put the two countries in a completely different setting- the war in Afghanistan.

Going back only a couple of years to 2013, the last Australian was killed in Afghanistan. Skip to March 4th 2015, the two nations are still on competing sides but this time on Australian ground at the W.A.C.A ground in Perth.

During the match, there was no mention of the previous fighting between the two countries, in which there were 40 Australian soldiers killed in action. In the name of sport and in particular cricket, differences were put aside and the men who were representing their country did so proudly.

40 Australian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan.

This event highlights that sport does have the ability to unite people with opposing beliefs, ideas and cultures. A prominent example of this is Christmas Day 1914, German and English troops both ventured into no man’s land and played a friendly game of football.

What is it about sport that gives it this unifying quality? Well, sport is an universal language, something that everyone can understand. It is social by nature and therefore inevitably people gravitate towards each other when partaking. The likes of Nelson Mandela realised the transformative and unifying power of sports, and used that power to make changes that protests and diplomacy could not.

Do you agree?

The match between Australia and Afghanistan last week, is evidence of the constant role sport plays in society. It breaks down social barriers, such as prejudice and sexism and does so at any level from a local five a side kick about to elite sportsmen and women at the Olympics.

I think it is vital that communities across the globe realise the importance of sport, especially for young children as it develops key values. However, sport is more than the physical. Any athlete would agree that nutrition is a massive component of success in sport and with the growing obesity problems in developed countries, the education sport can offer us has become more important than ever.

The power of sport should not be underestimated. It will forever unite people of different backgrounds, helping to prevent the ignorance that causes so much of the hatred in the world today. Education is often the key to success in many parts of life and sport may be the best way to educate.