Olympic Value Education

Olympic Value Education (OVE) is based on the Olympic philosophy that learning takes place through the balanced development of body and mind. Alongside the three core values, the Movement identifies five educational values, drawn from the three domains of learning - Mental, Emotional and Physical:

• Joy of Effort
• Fair Play
• Respect for Others
• Pursuit of Excellence
• Balance in life between Body, Will and Mind

Each of these is explained below, in the textbook's order.

Joy of Effort

According to the UNESCO Charter, "every human being has a fundamental right to access to physical education and sport, which are essential for the full development of his/her personality...". The idea of Joy of Effort is therefore that a child should enjoy and have fun with the sport and physical activity he or she takes part in. If, instead, an individual is forced to over-exert while playing without being given good experiences to remember, they may develop bad memories of sport. Physical activity should be promoted with a real opportunity to enjoy the energy and the effort, whatever the outcome.

Kipchoge Keino of Kenya, as a young boy, lived four miles from his school with no public transport, and simply walked or ran there and back - enjoying the running. Over two or three years he built an extraordinary aerobic base, went on to compete nationally and then internationally, and became an example to others. The joy was in the effort first; the success followed.

Fair Play

Although fair play is a concept from sport, it applies in many ways beyond the sports field. Fair play means playing by the rules. Learning fair-play behaviour in sport leads to the same behaviour in everyday life: after taking part in sport, a person develops the habit of fair play that shows in their attitude towards the community they live in. In sport the individual follows the rules, while referees and officials enforce them through penalties. Fair play is also shown in gestures such as shaking hands with an opponent at the end of a game or appreciating an opponent's outstanding performance.

At the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck, the great Italian bobsledder Eugenio Monti, waiting for his own run, learned that his British rivals Robin Dixon and Tony Nash had lost a bolt from their sled and could not race. Without hesitating, Monti lent them the bolt from his own sled. Nash and Dixon went on to win gold; Monti took bronze - and was awarded a special Fair Play Trophy for his generosity.

Respect for Others

As the Olympic Charter says, the goal is "to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised in accordance with Olympism and its values." Living in a multicultural world, we need to accept and respect diversity and promote peace, appreciating the worth of all peoples and cultures irrespective of race, age, gender or ability. Sport is uniquely suited to this, because a team may consist of people from very different cultures, all focused on one goal - victory for the team. Acceptance and respect for cultural difference, however, has to be taught, since racism and intolerance usually come from ignorance and fear; understanding grows when people live, work and play together.

At the Nazi-hosted 1936 Berlin Games, Jesse Owens, a Black athlete from the USA, won four gold medals - and was helped to one of them by the German long-jumper Luz Long, who advised his rival on his run-up so that he could qualify. Long's gesture of respect, made in that hostile atmosphere, is still remembered as one of the finest in Olympic history.

Pursuit of Excellence

In today's competitive world, the natural focus is to become the best. Focusing on excellence helps young people make positive, healthy choices and strive to be the best they can be in whatever they do. Sport gives players the chance to pursue excellence - and to make healthy choices - in a safe social and physical environment, free from discrimination, harassment and fear, in which individual differences and cultural traditions are valued and respected.

Balance between Body, Will and Mind …