#365DaysOfWriting — Day 206

Sport is beautiful

I’d like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the Chapecoense football team, and all those that were aboard Flight 2933. Their spirit and passion will live on in our hearts, and the world shall forever remember them as heroes. They will be missed. RIP.

As a Manchester United fan, my thoughts almost immediately went to February 6, 1958.

The Munich air disaster robbed the world of a talented bunch, lovingly known as the ‘Busby Babes’. Not dissimilar to the fate of the Chapecoense team, who after 4 years of hard work in the lower divisions, had finally made their way to a top division final.

Today, I came across a heart-warning piece of news.

Chapecoense’s opponent in the final, Atletico Nacional, asked for the Copa Sudamericana title to be awarded to Chapecoense. You can read all about it here. That’s what makes football, or any sport for that matter, beautiful. You will always find stories of humanity and hope, even amidst all the scandal that sometimes rocks sport.

My parents and relatives often ask me why I take sport (especially football) so seriously.

‘Manchester United isn’t even Indian. Why do you like that club?’

‘Why are you crying? You’ll get a new manager.’

‘He’s only a player. Don’t take it so seriously.’

I’ve heard all of this and more. To you I say, with the utmost respect, that you will never get it. You will never get why I stay up all night for a Champions League/Europa League/Premier League/World Cup clash. You’ll never understand the pain of seeing your favourite international team messing up a World Cup and 2 Copa America finals (I support Argentina). You’ll never see the joy in Messi scoring a fantastic goal and celebrating in his unique style. You might, just might get why I pray for Kohli to score a 100. It’s for that very reason I support my football teams and players the way I do. It’s the same reason I shed tears whenever I watch Senna’s documentary. It’s the same reason I pray for Michael Schumacher everyday.

Sport is my refuge. My life. As Bill Shankly put it so eloquently about football (applies to sport, really) – “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure you it’s much more serious than that.”

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