Since I was very young, sports have been involved in my daily basis. Playing in a team, competing or enjoying the little moments are some of the things that I have learnt along the way. Having a routine, discipline and a can-do attitude helped me in achieving my personal goals. That is why I encourage everyone to practise sport because I believe in its power to change people’s behaviours and attitudes and in some cases people’s lives. It is so empowering to read some stories like Michael Phelps’, one of the best athletes ever. He dealt with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but thanks to swimming, he managed to channel all his energy and became the person he is nowadays. This is just an example within the elite, but we could find plenty of them in every corner.
We all know the undeniable positive effects that sports and physical activity have not only to our health but also to the feeling of belonging to a community. Then, why the statistics from the fifth Eurobarometer show that promotion for sport and physical activity is still much needed? There is a big room to improve. Being a volunteer at EUSA, is giving me the chance to realise how committed they are to the issue. But we, the people who are involved in sports organisations, need to keep pushing hard to see better results in the following years. The European Union is also committed to it, meaning that we are going in the right direction.
Is sport the solution to all of our problems? The answer is no. However, it is obvious that is one of the best channels to overcome them and to live a healthy life. Everyone needs to find their sources of inspiration in something. It might be music, it might be art, it might be anything. I believe in the power of sport, and that is why we need to make it accessible for all regardless of age, gender, disability, cultural or religious background, sexual orientation or other attributes that may lead to any person feeling excluded or isolated.
It is important to mention that sports also have side effects. All that glitters is not gold. Injuries, discussions with teammates or bad performances can also happen. We should put everything in a balance and compare its advantages and disadvantages. From my perspective, in most of the cases sports will always win.
I want to end this column by saying: “Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.”- Michael Jordan. If we all apply this principle, sports and physical activity will gain more popularity and they will have a big impact on people’s lives.
