The original values as expressed in the Olympic Charter were to ‘encourage effort, preserve human dignity and develop harmony’. Over time, they have evolved and are now expressed in more contemporary terms: excellence, friendship and respect.
Excellence is about striving for greatness, pushing limits and achieving personal bests. Friendship is about building camaraderie, showing solidarity and celebrating shared experiences among athletes and nations. Respect is about embracing diversity, inclusivity and fair play, both on and off the field.
This is the idea of setting your rivalries aside. There is more that unites us than divides us. The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit.
The Olympic spirit inspires athletes to compete with integrity, respect their fellow competitors and unite the world through sport. It's a powerful symbol of global unity, peace and athletic achievement.
Olympic Spirit is a leading light
To play it as sport, not as fight!
~ Pravin K. Sabnis