The Olympics and Nationhood

Distinguished British historian E. J. Hobsbaum has written that when growing up in interwar Austria, a country he described as at the time having little in common except that most of its citizens wanted to become part of Germany, there was a soccer match between Great Britain and Austria. Suddenly he became Britain in the eyes of his Austrian friends and was convinced that had the match not ended in a fortunate tie, they would have beaten him to a pulp. Thrilling to the radio commentary his friends suddenly felt Austrian as never before. Sports, he concluded had played a great role in bringing about the emotion of national unity, perhaps because those being cheered were doing something everybody at least wishes he or she had been good at and thus identifies with.

Ukraine is not doing well in soccer these days, but it made up for it in winning the first gold medal awarded at the Sydney Olympics. As soon as it happened, a friend called to get me out of bed and tell me the news. My Ukrainian wife watched the television coverage with tears in her eyes and screams of joy. The victory of a nation in sports gives every one of that nation’s members the bond of shared pride. In this way the Olympics are a powerful force to cement nations together, especially if their nation’s representatives win. An economic basket case and having spent its decade of independence largely in a state of what might be called political constipation, Ukraine has been able to put its best foot forward in sports, showing the world and its own people something for which it cannot help but feel deep emotion. For all those who wish this nation well, I wish the Ukrainian Olympic athletes every success. Just now no one can do more for their nation than they.