The great Olympic torch will be extinguished tomorrow. For almost 20 days, sports competitions have served as a life lesson for athletes and fans. Rivalry was always relegated. Attitudes such as effort and dedication stood out in the more than 330 events. The brotherhood of sport has transcended borders in small gestures full of meaning. It is enough to highlight the respectful gesture of Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles to welcome Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, gold medalist in the floor event, to the top of the podium.
Intensity and empathy were on the same stage. France hosted 10,500 athletes. For months, if not years, they prepared for the event. Much more than a victory was at stake. Sportsmanship was felt in victory and, above all, in defeat. It is surprising how the coexistence between the best athletes in the world was characterized by the fraternity that was breathed in the Olympic Village. Even from afar, we witnessed this Olympic enthusiasm with the participation of our representatives.
Far from the medals, hatreds are exploding. In the very suburbs of Paris, the streets of Birmingham (England) or the neighbourhoods of Bangladesh, medals and diplomas are not handed out. Racial violence marks a painful reality that is growing uncontrollably in many regions. The panorama is no different in Latin America. Ideological polarisation has been embedded in the continent for a couple of decades. Openly confrontational societies are moving away from environments of peaceful coexistence and sowing relationships fuelled by hatred.
