I was reading in today’s paper about one of our local soccer players who, although he is currently under suspension for hitting an umpire, is being allowed to play for Australia in the Olyroos soccer team. His suspension is being curled around the Olympic competition merely so that he can represent Australia. The umpire that he punched is quite upset and other umpires have come to his defence asking the question, “What is the value of a suspension if it can be cast aside for other things”? I can understand their consternation. Why reward someone who is under punishment, doesn’t it merely encourage them to trivialize their bad behaviour?

We all know from the front pages of the newspaper that a similar incident involving a member of the swimming team ended with the team member being suspended from the squad. We Australians need to remember that winning isn’t everything. Who do we want to represent us, people who are violent in character or people who do their best while maintaining their self-control? In the end, Australia will be unchanged by the number of medals we win but we will be changed if we reward those who do wrong merely to extend our tally of gold.

As Paul says, we must each run the race of life in order to win the medal, but the emphasis is on running the good race, not crushing the opposition in the race to get to the finishing line. For each of us the true performance of our lives is the discipline, perseverance, self-control and good behaviour that gets us to the starting line, not the selfish drive that gets us to the finishing line first.           In love, Alan