“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.”

– Nelson Mandela

With the World Cup underway it’s impossible to ignore the global impact of sports and the unique ability of athletic competition to bring attention to people and countries we may otherwise overlook. A tournament such as the World Cup levels the playing field among disparate nations and cultivates respect for people of all cultures and creeds.

It has always been interesting to me how some people have a way of finding just the right words to express a sentiment that many of us have felt, but never articulated. Not sure anyone could have put this commentary on the power of sport into words better than Nelson Mandela did.