By David Dolan
“Sport has the power to change the world.” These were the words Nelson Mandela said 25 years ago at the first Laureus World Sports Awards show. It’s an inspirational speech that everyone should listen to at least once, whether you’re a sports fan or not. Mandela’s speech came only five years after arguably South Africa’s greatest and most important sporting moment, one that only a few years before seemed unimaginable. June 24 marked 30 years since South Africa’s iconic Rugby World Cup victory that gripped the nation and captivated the world.
kAm$@FE9 p7C:42 7C@> E96 >:5\E@ =2E6\a_E9 46?EFCJ H2D ?@ 5:776C6?E E92? 46CE2:? A2CED @7 p>6C:42 H6C6 :? E96 `hd_D 2?5 62C=J e_D] %96 H9:E6D 925 2== E96 A@H6C 2?5 2FE9@C:EJ H9:=6 3=24<D H9@ H6C6 E96 @G6CH96=>:?8 >2;@C:EJ :? $@FE9 p7C:42 925 ?@?6] %96 3:2D65 2?5 F?;FDE DJDE6> @7 pA2CE96:5 H2D C:5:4F=65 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5[ 2?5 |2?56=2[ E96 4@F?ECJ’D >@DE AC@>:?6?E 3=24< =6256C[ 925 366? :>AC:D@?65 7@C 564256D 7@C 7:89E:?8 7@C E92E 7C665@>] xE H2D E96 :?E6C?2E:@?2= 4@>>F?:EJ >@C6 E92? 2?JE9:?8 E92E 7:?2==J 42FD65 E96 H9:E6 8@G6C?>6?E E@ H2G6 E96 H9:E6 7=28[ C6DF=E:?8 :? 9:D C6=62D6 :? `hh_[ 2?5 E96 6?5 @7 E96 C68:>6 :? `hh`]k^Am
kAm$A@CED H6C6 A2CE @7 E96 DE@CJ] $@446C H2D E96 DA@CE @7 E96 3=24< 4@>>F?:EJ H9:=6 CF83J H2D E96 DA@CE 7@C H9:E6D] $@FE9 p7C:42 92D 2 C:49 9:DE@CJ H96? :E 4@>6D E@ E96 =2EE6C[ 3FE 2 =@E @7 3=24<D G:6H65 E96 ?2E:@?2= E62>[ E96 $AC:?83@<D[ 2D C6AC6D6?E:?8 E96 H@CDE @7 pA2CE96:5 3642FD6 E96 3CFE6 7@C46 @7 E96 DA@CE H2D 2 C6A=:42E:@? @7 E92E D2>6 7@C46 2FE9@C:E:6D 925 FD65 282:?DE E96>] x? 724E[ E96 E62> H2D 32??65 7C@> 4@>A6E:E:@? 7@C D6G6C2= J62CD F?E:= E96 C68:>6 H2D 23@=:D965] (9:=6 72C\C:89E @C82?:K2E:@?D H6C6 862C:?8 FA 7@C H2C 27E6C |2?56=2’D C6=62D6[ 96 D2H 2 H2J E@ C6249 E96 962CED @7 H9:E6 $@FE9 p7C:42?D] %96 562= H2D :7 H9:E6D 324<65 56>@4C2E:4 6=64E:@?D[ 96 H@F=5 3C:?8 E96 #F83J (@C=5 rFA E@ E96 ?2E:@?] |2?56=2 H2D 6=64E65 !C6D:56?E :? `hhc[ 2?5 96 DEF4< E@ 9:D H@C5 3C:?8:?8 E96 E@FC?2>6?E E96C6 :? `hhd]k^Am
kAm%96 $AC:?83@<D 925 @?=J 366? C6:?DE2E65 :? `hha[ 2?5 ?@ @?6 82G6 E96 E62> 2 C62= 492?46 E@ 8@ 72C :? E96 E@FC?2>6?E H:E9 E96 DBF25’D =24< @7 3:8\82>6 6IA6C:6?46 2E E96 :?E6C?2E:@?2= =6G6=] |2?56=2 H@C<65 E:C6=6DD=J E@ 86E 3=24< $@FE9 p7C:42?D :?E@ E96 DA@CE 2?5 6G6? G:D:E65 E96 A=2J6CD 2E E96:C 7:?2= AC24E:46 367@C6 E96 (@C=5 rFA 3682?] %96 7:CDE 82>6 7@C E96 $AC:?83@<D H2D 282:?DE E96 5676?5:?8 492>A:@?D[ pFDEC2=:2]k^Am
kAm&?:E65 3J 2 DEC@?8 9@>6 4C@H5[ $@FE9 p7C:42 D4@C65 2 af\`g FAD6E H:? E@ @A6? E96 E@FC?2>6?E FA] p7E6C 2 E62> 3@?5:?8 EC:A E@ #@336? xD=2?5[ H96C6 |2?56=2 H2D :?42C46C2E65 7@C >@DE @7 9:D ;2:= E:>6[ E96 E62> 4@?E:?F65 E@ :>AC6DD A6@A=6 @? E96 7:6=5] p DEC@?8 5676?D:G6 A6C7@C>2?46 282:?DE #@>2?:2 H2D 7@==@H65 3J 2 a_\_ D9FE@FE @G6C r2?252 E@ 7:?:D9 7:CDE :? E96 8C@FA]k^Am
kAm%96 $AC:?83@<D 4@?E:?F65 E96:C H:??:?8 H2JD H96? E96 <?@4<@FE DE286D C@==65 2C@F?5] x? E96 BF2CE6C7:?2=D[ E96J 3=6H (6DE6C? $2>@2 @FE ca\`c H:E9 2 7@FC\ECJ A6C7@C>2?46 3J E96 @?=J 3=24< A=2J6C @? E96 E62> r96DE6C (:==:2>D]k^Am
kAm%96 52J 367@C6 E96 D6>:7:?2=[ |2?56=2 96=5 2 A@=:E:42= C2==J DA@CE:?8 9:D $AC:?83@< 92E 8:G6? E@ 9:> 3J E96 A=2J6CD] x? E96 DA6649[ 96 C676CC65 E@ E96 A=2J6CD 2D “@FC 3@JD” 2?5 “@FC AC:56” E@ E96 >@DE=J 3=24< 4C@H5 H96C6 D@>6 DE:== G:6H65 E96 $AC:?83@< =@8@ 2D 2 E:6 E@ 52C<6C 52JD]k^Am
kAm$A62<:?8 @7 52C<6C 52JD[ E96 52J @7 E96 D6>:7:?2= 282:?DE uC2?46 H2D 2 52C< 2?5 4@=5 C2:?J 27E6C?@@? E92E @?=J 8@E H@CD6 2C@F?5 82>6 E:>6] (9:=6 E96 D<:6D 4=62C65[ E96 7:6=5 H2D 2 >6DD 2?5 E96 CF83J 32== H2D 2D 7=J\92=7 y@6= $EC2?D<J 56D4C:365 “2 3=@4< @7 D@2A]” xE E@@< 2 =2DE\5:E49 5676?D:G6 DE2?5 7@C $@FE9 p7C:42 E@ 9@=5 @?E@ 2 `h\`d H:?] $E2?5:?8 :? E96 H2J @7 E96 $AC:?83@<D 2?5 56DE:?J H6C6 E96:C 2C49\C:G2=D[ }6H +62=2?5[ 2?5 E96:C 362DE @7 2 H:?86C y@?29 {@>F]k^Am
kAm%96 52J @7 E96 7:?2= D2H A6@A=6 DH6AE FA :? E96 7C6?KJ 2?5 A6@A=6[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 3=24< 4@>>F?:EJ[ H6C6 EF?65 :? E96:C E6=6G:D:@?D 2?5 E96 DEC66ED H6C6 2D 6>AEJ 2D 42? 36] |2?56=2 G:D:E65 E96 A=2J6CD :? E96 =@4<6C C@@> 367@C6 E96 82>6 2?5 D9@@< 92?5D H:E9 3@E9 E62>D @? E96 7:6=5] }6H +62=2?5 5:5 E96:C EC25:E:@?2= w2<2 (2C 52?46 >@C6 6>A2E9:4 E92? 6G6C] %96 82>6 :ED6=7 H2D 2 5676?D:G6 H2C 2D $@FE9 p7C:42 5:5 2 8@@5 ;@3 ?@E =6EE:?8 {@>F 86E @? E96 3@2C5]k^Am
kAmpE E96 6?5 @7 C68F=2E:@? E:>6[ E96 D4@C6 H2D E:65 2E h] p7E6C @?6 A6C:@5 @7 6IEC2 E:>6[ E96 D4@C6 H2D E:65 2E `a] w@H6G6C[ E96 82>6 H2D 7:?2==J 564:565 H96? y@6= $EC2?D<J’D 5C@A<:4< DA=:E E96 FAC:89ED 2?5 82G6 E96 $AC:?83@<D 2 `d\`a H:?]k^Am
kAm(96? E96 7:?2= H9:DE=6 H2D 3=@H?[ t==:D !2C< $E25:F> :? y@92??6D3FC8 6CFAE65 H:E9 4966CD 2?5 E96 A=2J6CD 4@==2AD65 E@ E96 8C@F?5 :? ;F3:=2E:@? 2?5 C6=:67] %96 :>286 @7 |2?56=2 92?5:?8 E96 EC@A9J E@ $AC:?83@< 42AE2:? uC2?4@:D !:6??2C C6>2:?D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE :4@?:4 :? DA@CED 9:DE@CJ 2?5 E96 82>6 H2D AC@323=J E96 7:CDE E:>6 E92E $@FE9 p7C:42 H2D ECF=J 2 F?:E65 3=24<\2?5\H9:E6 4@F?ECJ :? 286D]k^Am
kAmp 8C62E DA@CE:?8 ?2E:@? 92D E@ 92G6 @?6 567:?:?8 >@>6?E[ 2?5 E9:D H2D :E 7@C $@FE9 p7C:42] (9:=6 E96 $AC:?83@<D H@F=5 H:? E96 (@C=5 rFA E9C66 >@C6 E:>6D[ :E’D 92C5 7@C 2?J 492>A:@?D9:A E@ E@A E96 7:CDE[ 2?5 4@FA=65 H:E9 :E 36:?8 @? 9@>6 D@:= 2?5 E96 4:C4F>DE2?46D 369:?5 :E[ E96 >@>6?E H:== ?6G6C 36 E@F4965] pD 72>@FD 2D :?5:G:5F2= 2E9=6E6D 2C6[ 9@H F?:E65 H2D E96 ?2E:@? H96? tC?:6 t=D H@? E96 qC:E:D9 ~A6? @C sC:4FD sF !=6DD:D H@? E96 &ur |:55=6H6:89E 36=En !6@A=6 H6C6 56=:89E65 ?@ 5@F3E[ 3FE H96? 2 E62> H:?D D@>6E9:?8[ E96C6’D 2 DA64:2= F?:BF6 766=:?8 E@ :E] }6=D@? |2?56=2 H2D C:89E[ DA@CE 92D E96 A@H6C E@ F?:E6 2?5 492?86 E96 H@C=5[ 2?5 E96 `hhd #F83J (@C=5 rFA AC@G65 :E]k^Am
kAms2G:5 s@=2?[ H9@ 92D 2 568C66 7C@> vC2?:E6 $E2E6 r@==686 :? AC@76DD:@?2= 4@>>F?:42E:@?[ =@G6D DA@CED 2?5 =:G6D :? q2CE=6EE]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.