Commentary by Ke Rongyi
The 33rd Olympic Games officially opened on Saturday. As the birthplace of the International Olympic Committee, Paris has hosted two Olympics, in 1900 and 1924, and now, a whole century later, the Olympic flame is lit again in this ancient and beautiful city. The scent of history and glory envelopes the Seine River, and the Olympic spirit flows deep within people’s hearts.
During the hundred years that have passed, the world has undergone significant changes. That’s why some are calling it an Olympic cycle for France, generating high expectations for the Olympics today.
Undoubtedly, what most are looking forward to from the modern Olympics is the beauty of competitive sports, with “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together” being the new theme. In the world’s highest level of competition, the Chinese basketball team, volleyball players, and along with other athletes and teams will all face challenges that they must overcome with their full efforts. The Chinese Olympic delegation will be competing for gold and is confident of winning, which is in keeping with the Olympic motto of believing that every effort in competition is worth it. Every Olympic fan wants every competitor to perform at their best and live up to their prime years, emulating the Olympic spirit.
Therefore, we deeply hope that the Paris Olympics will lift up every dream chaser, allowing them to undergo the most unpretentious baptism on a fair and just field.
To this end, hosting an Olympic Games where morality is not compromised, with rules and boundaries being crystal clear, is also a universal desire. Just days before the opening of the Games, the most shocking pieces of news was that Denmark’s top badminton mixed doubles pair, Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje, will not be competing when the Olympic badminton tournament kicks off in Paris due to violation of anti-doping regulations. The reason was that Christiansen had inadvertently made mistakes in three “whereabouts” reports, thus facing the risk of penalties.
This might not be a doping issue, but it is clear that such seemingly stringent regulations are precisely meant to ensure the clean foundation of the Olympic Games.
The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee also has more creative plans. Tony Estanguet, the chairman of the Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee, once stated that for the first time the opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium but in the city center with hundreds of thousands of people flowing through. Undoubtedly, the organizing committee’s effort to highlight the city’s romanticism and the utilization of Paris’ cultural landmarks showcase the humanistic spirit of the Olympics, a romance that was displayed both in 1900 and 1924.
With its efforts, the Games are attracting global attention, and its organizers are pushing forward reform and innovation that have always been the mission of the Olympics, as well as a foundational belief that nurtures romantic sentiments and noble ideals. Making the Olympics more exciting and attractive aims to achieve interaction between human emotions across a deeper span of time and space.
The spirit of sports has always been part of the humanistic spirit. Through the pursuit of perfection in competitive sports, nourished by the nutrients of sports, and connected by the veins of sports, achieving resonance in cultural and peace concepts among humanity is inherently part of successfully hosting the Olympics.
– Courtesy of China Daily
