WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the following topic.
Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.
You should write at least 250 words.
Already in ancient Greece, notably at the olympics in Olympia competitions have been moments where people of different backgrounds could meet to compare each others strenght and weaknesses. Likewise today many citizens of different nationalities gather at sport events all over the world keen to demonstrate their physical skills in all kinds of discipline. Athletes often represent nations that are in conflict with each other. Thus a victory of one or the other party could be interpreted as a superiority of the winners nation. In my opinion sports and international relations should not be influenced by each other for reasons I will explain in the following paragraphs.
During the cold war for instance sport events were an important way of the great nations to demonstrate their power. Russia and the USA spent a lot of their resources to promote education and training of athletes. It was a rather painless way for the world powers to compete with each other. However the superiority in a sport discipline should not have influence on justified tensions between nations caused by different opinions about peace, health, justice, human rights, wealth and prosperity.
Problems at sport events can also cause poltical tensions. All the time violence among fans during soccer and other teamsports events is reported in the news. I remember for example the finals at the Soccer World Cup in France between France and Italy, where two of the long time rival soccer players got violent on the field. As ashaming as it is beeing a fan of both teams, it should not have had any effect on the relations between France and Italy. Good relations and peace in the world are without a doubt a priority.
In summary sport events should be viewed independently from patriotism and the political situation of the countries the athletes represent. On one hand athletes should be promoted for their value as athletes and not lead to a silent war between sports nations. On the other hand fanatism should not cause unfair players to promote conflicts between people of different nationalities. Fans and athletes should learn to play fair and to become fans of their sport first of all by enjoying it, regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.