Pope urges respect for Olympic Truce as 'instrument of hope'
Italy's Stefania Constantini (L) curls the stone as Italy's Amos Mosaner (R) prepares to sweep in the curling mixed doubles round robin between Italy and Estonia during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo on February 6, 2026. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
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"On the occasion of the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, I wholeheartedly encourage all nations to rediscover and respect this instrument of hope that is the Olympic Truce, a symbol and promise of a reconciled world," the US pontiff said in a letter on the value of sport.
UN member states last November adopted a resolution urging international conflicts be paused during the Olympics -- an ideal embraced in principle every two years yet regularly ignored.
In the eight-page document, released by the Vatican ahead of Friday night's ceremony at Milan's San Siro stadium, Leo reflected on the benefits of sport -- and the risks of its corruption.
A keen tennis player, the 70-year-old noted the "exhilarating" experience of a prolonged rally between players, as well as the sense of accomplishment that sports brings and its power to unite people.
He stressed the importance of making sports accessible to everyone -- and warned of the risks that it becomes solely about business, or exploited for political means.
"When sport succumbs to the mentality of power, propaganda or national supremacy, its universal vocation is betrayed," the pope said.
"Major sporting events are meant to be places of encounter and mutual admiration, not stages for the affirmation of political or ideological interests."
Modelled on a millennia-old Greek tradition, the Olympic Truce has been introduced at the UN biennially since 1993 by the host country.
In theory, for these Winter Games, it would be observed seven days before the February 6 start until seven days after the March 15 conclusion of the Paralympics.
But peace, as ever, remains elusive.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and that war shows no sign of ending, a conflict which also led to a range of sporting bans for Russian and Belarusian athletes.
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas came into effect on October 10 but it remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violating the terms.
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