Unsportsmanlike Behaviour
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
31 July 2024
A judo competitor representing
Tajikistan refused to shake his Israeli opponent’s hand at the Paris Olympics
and instead said “Allah u Akbar”.
Nurali Emomali
later dislocated his arm in a different fight, an incident Israel supporters
described as “Karma”.
Emomali, who won the
match against Tohar Butbul, walked off the mat without making a respectful
gesture to his Israeli opponent.
Instead, he chose
to say "Allah u Akbar"
while holding up a prayer symbol, known as the "Finger of Tawheed."
The symbol refers
to the Islamic belief that "There is
no god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet."
Sports have no place for such blatant
religiosity.
On July 20, 2021, the Session of the
International Olympic Committee approved a change in the Olympic motto that
recognises the unifying power of sport and the importance of solidarity. The
change adds the word 'together' after an en dash to, "Faster, Higher,
Stronger." The new Olympic motto now reads: " Faster, Higher,
Stronger- Together."
Solidarity fuels our mission to make the
world a better place through sport. We can only go faster, we can only aim
higher, we can only become stronger by standing together- in solidarity.
On such a lofty and exalted platform,
giving importance to religion, jingoism and fanaticism must be condemned in no
uncertain terms. Why should you emblazon your faith on an international forum?
Leave it back home.
In 1971-72, when the World Eleven Vs
Australia matches were being played in Australia under the stewardship of one
and only Sir Garfield Sobers, World Eleven had players like Sunil Gavaskar,
Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas, Asif Masood, Farokh Engineer from India and
Pakistan. At the same time, war between India and Pakistan also broke out on
the Eastern Front of India for the liberation of Bangladesh. Yet, it made
absolutely no impact on the bonhomie among the Indian and Pakistani cricketers.
They would read the war-related news in the
dailies and play together without any rancour. Bedi remained Intikhab's best
friend till he breathed his last in 2023. Zaheer and Gavaskar are still great
friends. When Zaheer was admitted to a hospital in London a couple of years
ago, Gavaskar and a few other Indian cricketers went to see him despite India
and Pakistan being at loggerheads with each other since 1947.
Sports bring people together. It's the
second greatest leveller after death.
Alas, religion has sullied everything. In
fact, growing religiosity and militant nationalism have worsened things, of
late.
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A regular
columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative
religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the
world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/unsportsmanlike-behaviour/d/132830