As early as the days of Greek civilization, sports have been effective instruments of diplomacy the world over. The Greeks founded quadrennial olympic competitions, to honor Zeus, the Greek god. These games, which spanned for over 3 months informed a certain ‘Olympic Truce, ‘which meant a military cease-fire among spectators and athletes during the competition period, which was so held in high esteem that even death penalties were forbidden.
The olympic games also provided opportunities for setting up ways on peacefully solving inter-city hostilities.During these months, political congresses were held and alliances of sorts formed, while outstanding athletes gained status, power and political relevance.This ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion is what Joseph Nye, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs would divinely refer to as soft power.Such, is the power of sports diplomacy. It attracts rather than coerces. It bridges gaps, through the soft touch of beauty, passion and flair of the game.
By a way of illustration, in the year 2005, popular football legend Didier Drogba ended a civil unrest in Côté d’Ivoire after leading the line for their victory against Sudan, which sent the nation to the FIFA World Cup tournament 2006 edition. Recorded as one of the most extraordinary tales in history of football, Drogba, alongside his teammates valorously picked up the microphone to address the warring divides during their post match celebrations in the dressing room.As depicted by a one minute video on You Tube, zealous Ivory Coast players huddled before a camera, with the imposing figure of the then new Chelsea football player standing at the front, holding a microphone in his hands. He would then give a speech on how the match illustrated that the people of Ivory Coast are capable of living in harmony.
Long story short, the period post that speech witnessed a gradual growth to peace, as warring divides, led by the then President Laurent Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro from Southern and the Northern fronts respectively began to draw closer for peaceful solutions.
This underscores the power of sports, and its capability to not only bring a people together but also secure the place of a nation in the international
community. For instance, Kenya, as a country is known for many things, with athletics standing tall among them, especially the long distance races.
The remarkable performances of such athletes as Eliud Kipchoge,Ferdinand Omanyala, David Rudisha, Faith Kipyegon, The late Samwel Wanjiru, Julius Yego, Brigid Kosgey, Pamela Jelimo,Vivian Jepkemoi among many other great ones have established an esteemable reputation for the country beyond borders, with Eliud Kipchoge contemporarily regarded World’s greatest marathoner of all time.
As a result of the discipline they showcase during competitions, England’s most decorated football club Manchester United early in the year announced plans to have an exchange program between Kenyan athletes and their footballers in an ambitious move to improve the mentality at Old Trafford. This will not only cement the country’s place in the world map, but also provide more opportunities for bolstering Kenya-U.K diplomatic ties.
As a developing nation, Kenya must utilize all resources at it’s disposal to establish an authoritative face in the international community. If put to proper use, sports diplomacy could be one of our most effective instruments of soft power.
All stakeholders must ergo give the ministry necessary support towards making sportsmen and women of this country more productive. Such initiatives as Talanta Hall of Fame, the country’s joint win for the bid to host AFCON in 2027 among others, should be given rapt attention as they will play a fundamental role to the future and health of Kenya’s diplomacy and foreign policy.
As president William Ruto prepares to appoint more members into the new cabinet, it is imperative to trust the sports docket with a leader that has a strong background experience in diplomacy and foreign policy,who understands the role that a healthy sporting environment can play in our diplomacy.
