As a ski instructor in Madonna di Campiglio, and even before that as a sportsman and passionate advocate of the values that sport embodies, I find myself reflecting with deep regret on the decision to exclude Russian athletes from the upcoming Winter Olympics.
We are aware of the delicate current geopolitical context and the events that led to this measure. However, I want to emphasize that it is precisely in moments like these that sport should serve as a beacon, reminding us of its highest principles.
The moral and sporting principles of the Olympics are based on the three fundamental values of Olympism:
• Excellence: Giving one's best, pursuing personal progress through dedication, rigor, and surpassing one's limits.
• Friendship: Creating bonds between peoples and nations, promoting mutual understanding and harmony above political differences.
• Respect: Respecting oneself, opponents, judges, and the rules of the game, valuing honesty, loyalty, and the absence of discrimination of any kind.
It is precisely from the union of these fundamental values that The Olympic Spirit is born—a philosophy of life that views sport as a tool to promote a peaceful society and human dignity, maintain political neutrality (separating sport from governmental politics), and ensure non-discrimination in access to competition based solely on merit.
Excluding athletes solely on the basis of their nationality, depriving them of the culmination of years of sacrifice and dedication, deeply contrasts with these ideals. Such decisions risk transforming sport into a political instrument, diminishing its role as a promoter of unity, peace, and inclusion. Professional athletes are individuals passionately dedicated to their discipline, making enormous sacrifices to achieve certain goals; they are people who have nothing to do with the political decisions of their governments. Punishing them for actions they have neither committed nor supported undermines the principles of sport. After all, the sport we love, whether it's tennis, skiing, or motorcycling, has the power to transcend barriers, to build bridges where politics erects walls. The images of athletes from different nations embracing after a race, respecting each other even in rivalry, are messages of hope that the world needs more than ever.
I sincerely hope that in the future we can return to a vision of sport that celebrates humanity in its entirety, where every athlete, regardless of their origin, can compete under the universal flag of Olympic values.
With the hope that the Olympic Spirit may always prevail, I await you on the slopes to experience carefree and barrier-free skiing in Madonna di Campiglio, in the Dolomites, and on the snow of the whole world. Write to me!
Blogger: Massimiliano
Ski Instructor at Scuola Adamello Brenta, but even before that, an advocate of the noble principles of sport.