Sportsmanship

 When African-American athlete Jesse Owens arrived at 1936 Olympic Games, the atmosphere was tough and intimidating. The Games were part of Adolf Hiltler’s grand plan to prove Aryan superiority and African-American’s were not high on his priority list.

 He was called racial epithets and subjected to mistreatment but it was nothing worse than what he was already subjected to back home in America. He went on to script history, finishing with 4 Olympic gold medals in 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump respectively – a record that stood for 48 years.

 While Owens’ feat was unique, he might have lost a gold medals had it not been for the advice from an unlikely ally – German long jumper Luz Long.

 Owens was flustered to learn that what he had thought was a practice jump had been counted as his first attempt. Unsettled, he foot-faulted the second attempt. Before his last jump, Long suggested that he place a towel in front of the take-off board. Leaping from that point, he qualified for finals, beating Long for the gold.

 The German was the first to congratulate Owens and later walked around the stadium, arm-in-arm and posing for pictures together. It was a classy act of sportsmanship that stayed with Owens for the rest of his life.

 ‘It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me. You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-karat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment,’ he said.

 Sportsmanship is an understanding of and commitment to fair play, ethical behavior and integrity, and general goodwill toward an opponent. Simply put, sportsmanship is a choice. In a cut-throat competitive world, it is an evidence of humane character.

 In every significant and competitive race

Sportsmanship certifies humane grace!

 - Pravin K. Sabnis