Thomas Bach, who served as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president from 2013 to 2025, has emphasized that the spirit of sports transcends the respect for equal rules and possesses a unique force for uniting humanity.
Ahead of the 15th National Games of China, China Global Television Network (CGTN) sat down with the former IOC chief and Olympic gold medalist in Munich, Germany to learn about the power of sports as he sees it.
Bach said that sport is a powerful tool that can bring people together like "a glue of society."
"The power of sport is a unifying power, and unifying in many respects. And it all comes down to the value that sport is maybe the only area of our human life, of our social life, where everybody in the world respects the same rules," he said.
The former IOC president added that the universal appeal of sport is tied directly to the human heart.
"It's this respect for the same rules, but it's at the same time the emotions. Sport is very emotional. And sport is about commitment. It's about excitement. It's about passion. It's about joy. And what sport then makes even more special is that in sport, in many cases, it does not end up with respect. It's going the step further to solidarity. And this you can hardly find, if anywhere, in any other area of our society. You don't have the same rules and in a competition, neither in science nor in culture, nor in education or anywhere else," he said.
China's 15th National Games will officially open on Sunday across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in south China, marking the first time for the three regions to co-host the country's premier multi-sport event.
The event is expected to be another spectacular sports extravaganza in China following this year's Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, and the Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing.
Former IOC president sheds light on unique power of sport to connect people
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that mediation efforts of the Pakistani side regarding the Middle East tensions are in the common interests of all parties.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in his talks with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing.
During their talks, the two sides exchanged views on current international issues and regional conflicts.
Wang welcomed the visit of the Pakistani side to Beijing for discussion on easing tensions in the Middle East, just after its holding of a quadrilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Islamabad.
He said China supports and looks forward to Pakistan playing a unique and important role in easing the situation and resuming peace talks. This process is no easy task, and Pakistan's mediation efforts are in line with the common interests of all parties, Wang added.
He noted China is willing to make joint efforts with Pakistan to end the hostilities as soon as possible, create opportunities for peace and open the window for peace talks.
On bilateral ties, Wang said this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, calling on both sides to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and constantly advance the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
For his part, Dar said the Pakistan-China friendship is precious and deeply rooted in people's hearts, adding that Pakistan is willing to work with China to promote the continuous development of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
Dar thanked China for supporting Pakistan's mediation of the situation in Iran, adding that the current conflict has disrupted international energy supplies and caused heavy damage to developing countries.
Noting that solutions can only be found through negotiation, Dar said Pakistan is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to push all parties to start peace talks as soon as possible and restore regional peace.
The two sides also put forward a five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East region:
I. Immediate cessation of hostilities: China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas.
II. Start of peace talks as soon as possible. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable option to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks.
III. Security of nonmilitary targets. The principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed. China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law, and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.
IV. Security of shipping lanes. The Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, is an important global shipping route for goods and energy. China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible.
V. Primacy of the United Nations Charter. China and Pakistan call for efforts to practice true multilateralism, to jointly strengthen the primacy of the United Nations, and to support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realizing lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Pakistan's mediation efforts in common interests of all parties: Chinese FM
