Putting Athletes Back in The Spotlight

Everybody knows as sport becomes more of a business and sponsors become vital in terms of hosting events and putting teams on the park, then these sponsors want a return on their investment. Some would say that it has become a vicious circle.

Professional or amateur, when athletes individually or as a team enter a tournament, their dream is to win it. In some events where there are medals awarded to those who finish in the top three, a podium finish is the goal. This has now become the be-all-and-end-all for many sports administrators. A failure to be on the podium means a reduction in Government funding for the sport. It can also mean that sponsors reduce their investment too. Success after all, breeds success.

Of course what this structure fails to take into account is that one of the beauties of sport is that sometimes the unexpected can happen. A goal can be scored in football thanks to a strong deflection wrong-footing a goalkeeper. In that split-second one team’s dreams are crushed. A player or athlete can be injured. and that too can turn an event. In Rugby Union a forward pass can go undetected and an all important try can be scored; Ask the All Blacks about that one in 2007.

Apart from the athletes dreams of success the fans yearn for their team and the athletes they support to achieve. They, in many cases live their dreams through these athletes and teams. They ride the wave of success and the despair of a loss.

So when a victory is achieved or a place on the podium, all they want to see are the prizes awarded as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

Sadly there appears to be a new trend across modern sport in which either the stadium announcers drag these ceremonies out with unnecessary chatter, or fans and athletes have to endure monotonous and irrelevant speeches from administrators or sponsors. The victory ceremony is no such place for such grandstanding. (Tennis the Winner – Lessons to be Learned for Venue).

Now taking precedence over the athletes acknowledging the adoration and respect of all we are seeing the VIPs, sponsors and administrators alike wanting to pose with the athletes immediately after presenting them with the spoils of their success. One has to ask why these pictures have to be taken? Is it purely for the egos of those given the honour of presenting the medals to the winners?

Ask any athlete or fan and they will tell you that the medals should be handed out and those doing the presenting should then move to one side and let those who have earned their place on the podium enjoy the attention and adoration they have worked so hard to earn.

If the presenters wish to have photographs take of them presenting then these should be taken when they are presenting. Not post presentation when the athletes deserve to be in the spotlight.

Equally important is the need for the paying public to be the ones who have a clear view of the presentations. It is understandable that for many years when Royalty, Presidents, Prime Ministers and Heads of State were in attendance that the presentations were made facing the VIP box. However in modern times when many of these dignitaries are carrying out the presentations why should the paying public be faced with the backs of the athletes while the VIPs who have been given the best seats and a free ticket have the best view. If sports want fans to continue to come back and watch such events they must give the fans the climatic moment.

Sadly many sports are now seeing fans exit major stadia prior to the presentation ceremonies, therefore robbing the athletes of that unforgettable moment of finally getting their hands on the trophy or gold medal. Why are they leaving? In many cases because they cannot see the presentation taking place. In other cases because the speeches they are simply taking too long, and so they may as well leave and beat the rush. The other reason is because the emphasis has shifted, and it appears that many of these ceremonies have become more about the people doing the presenting than those who are being rewarded for their hard-earned success.

Hopefully many sports wake up and acknowledge the fact that the athletes are the stars. Without them there is no game, no event, and no moment of celebration at the culmination of an event or a race. They are the ones who should be in the spotlight, and everyone else should be peripheral. It is after all their moment and no one else’s.