Sports competition is healthy, when kept in perspective, Pope says

May 07, 2015

In a May 7 meeting with members of an Italian sports association, Pope Francis said that athletic competition is healthy as long as it is kept in a balanced perspective.

The Pope welcomed representatives of the Lazio Sporting Association, which sponsors one of Italy’s leading soccer teams. He recalled that the group was founded at a time when only wealthy athletes had access to the top levels of competition, and the association was designed to give others a chance to compete. The Pope applauded the group for welcoming members for different backgrounds, observing that sports provide equal opportunities for all involved.

Pope Francis warned the athletes, however, that they should not become absorbed in sports to the detriment of other aspects of life. Specifically, he mentioned that some young competitors begin to miss Mass or religious-education classes because of practice. “This is not a good sign,” the Pontiff said. “It means that the person has lost the balance in his life.”

 

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Further information:

• Pope Francis meets with Roman sports club S.S. Lazio (Vatican Radio)
• Pope Francis receives Sporting Association of Lazio, Italy: True Sports help overcome Situations of Injustice (VIS)