May the Olympic values prevail in our divided world

As we get closer to the end of the magnificent Olympic Games of Paris 2024 which celebrated diversity and inclusion through sport, as well as the universality of the values of sport, and the bonds that unite the women and men of our planet, I cannot help but think of the paradox of our current world, and the growing polarization fueled by social networks and the various manipulations of populist leaders.

• The result of the legislative elections in France in which more than one in three French people voted for a far right and xenophobic parties. How can a country that wins so many medals, partly thanks to its population of foreign origin, at the same time celebrate these athletes and promote parties that are against migration?
• Last week's hate and racist riots in the United Kingdom are shocking, partly manipulated by fake news on social networks and tabloids. How could the power of information be allowed to be owned by a few individuals and power groups?
• All the forgotten or neglected crisis, in Yemen or in Sudan, where since April 2023 the turmoil has fueled one of the world’s largest displacement crises, with over 12 million people — approximately a quarter of Sudan’s population — uprooted the highest number of displaced children globally.
• And of course, the lack of a clear position of many Western countries on the massive killing of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank while international organizations and systems set up by those countries have clearly denounced violations of international humanitarian laws.

On this last point, I have to admit that I have a hard time explaining to my children the double Western standards. I also find it difficult to explain to our international partners that our approach to international development is based on human rights, but those principles seem not to apply everywhere. According to the latest estimates, almost 40,000 people have been killed and 91,722 wounded in Gaza since October 7th 2023. And in the West Bank,  about 181,000 people have been impacted at least once by 25 incidents involving demolitions and destruction of roads, water and sanitation facilities, and other public infrastructure. The number of Palestinians displaced in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, by demolitions and confiscations has more than doubled since 7 October compared with the preceding 10 months. While I fully condemn the terrorist attacks of October 7th that killed more than 1,100 people, and understand the trauma created by those attacks, the horrible situation of the hostages, and the general feeling of insecurity in Israel, it cannot justify the horrors in Gaza, nor can it justify that any criticism of the Israeli government’s actions should be automatically dismissed. No one is above the law, and the European leaders should not be frightened to remind that to the Israeli Government.

I think that Europe will pay for a long time for its lack of clear position to the situation in the Middle East, and restoring confidence with our partners will take time. But I fear, seeing the current trends, that Europe will turn even more inward. It is urgent to re-establish a coherent European international strategy in line with our values, at the risk of seeing other actors take a leadership role in world affairs, and put Europe in a second category of actors.

So, on the eve of the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, I express the perhaps simple and naive hope that the festive and solidarity spirit that prevailed during these Games will give new impetus to our international relations. And that the goal of the Olympic Movement which is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind, will rub off on real life.

I may be a dreamer, but I am not the only one.