Why we care more about the Euros than the election
Jonny Reid
When the General Election was announced, we panicked. How could we deal with having both the election and the Euros on at the same time? Very easily it turns out. Because no one is watching the election, while nearly everyone is tuning into the Euros.
Less than 3 million tuned into the first leaders’ debate, while over 18 million watched England’s first match. This year the top-10 most watched programmes will all be sport, with the Olympics in Paris (in our time zone, wonderfully) directly following on from football in Germany.
Transgender: death of women’s sport?
Jonny Reid
There is an ongoing conversation about how transgender athletes might take part in women’s sport.
Recently in the UK, this has focused on Emily Bridges, a cyclist who a few weeks ago was racing as a man, and now seeks to race in women’s competitions. Whilst in cycling the question is around fairness, in other sports, such as rugby, the issue of safety also comes into play.
‘Ten funerals and one wedding every day’
Jonny Reid
Five-time Olympic chaplain Ashley Null describes being a chaplain with athletes you support at the Olympics as being like ‘attending ten funerals and one wedding every day’.
He explains: ‘In sport, every person’s thrill of victory comes at the cost of many, many other people’s agony of defeat. That is the nature of competition.’ It is in this brutal pastoral environment that members of the Christians in Sport team have the privilege to minister, not only around major events but week in, week out. They walk alongside these athletes in their moments of indescribable joy and the more common moments of disappointment. Outside of the major events where there is usually official chaplaincy, supporting potential Olympic athletes has this year involved countless Zoom Bible studies, WhatsApps, and one member of staff even living in a house with three athletes and being their in-house chef for the British Athletics Championships! Walking with those for whom their job and funding may be on the line if they miss out on qualification is incredibly draining, and it has proven so important to keep opening the Bible with these athletes and pointing them to the secure and solid identity they have in Christ.
Are we forgetting that sports stars are human?
“There is no place for weak men in my dressing room.” That was England captain Ben Stokes’s frustrated verdict after another crushing defeat to Australia in the second Test.
Like many England cricket fans, I’m disillusioned with their performances in Australia this winter. Waking early and checking the score has produced an involuntary groan each time - much to the annoyance of my sleeping wife. Since the Brisbane defeat, the pile-on has been relentless, with every pundit, podcaster and pontificator finding fault in everything from technique and preparation to supposed attitudes and motivations.