REMEMBRANCE – Six inspiring stories of sport and courage
Polish skier Bronislaw Czech was involved in the anti-Nazi resistance; German cyclist Harry Seidel helped more than 100 people escape from East Germany during Communist subjugation; Emil and Dana Zatopek, two track and field champions, distinguished themselves for supporting the Prague Spring; the Italian doctor Antonio Maglio followed in the footsteps of the Jewish-German neurologist Ludwig Guttmann and was one of the founders of the Paralympics; the Afghan football player Khalida Popal worked to save as many people as possible after the Taleban’s’ return in 2021.
These are the six athletes honored by the Gariwo Foundation (Gardens of the Righteous Worldwide) at a ceremony on Monte Stella (called “Montagnetta” by locals), in Milan, in the presence of representatives of the institutions and of the world of sport.
“There will never be an exhaustive category including the righteous men, that’s because throughout of history and in every context, new figures appear, capable of anticipating events thanks to their conscience and their judgement,” said Giorgio Mortara, who represented UCEI. “The Righteous teach us to find a common ethical energy; an ethic that isn’t built alone, in the name of the purity of our own choices, but together, in the name of the universal values that are the foundation of civil life.” As the founder of Gariwo, Gabriele Nissim, emphasized, we must “believe in the future of humanity” and in this sense “everyone can make a small effort to make the world a better place.” The initiative was organized in the run-up to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic games. “We would like every sport association, from now until the Olympics, to take part in this great movement that preaches the values of sport,” said Nissim. “We hope there will be races, rallies, non-competitive marches dedicated to these values.”
Popal, who has long been involved in defending civil rights, told that “unfortunately, since we fell into the hands of the Taliban, I’ve had to leave my country in order to survive.” Since the Islamic fundamentalists came back to power, “women can’t even talk to each other in public: more than 600 people who were part of our football association had to flee Afghanistan, but we continue to let our voices be heard.” Beyond the differences, “we are all human beings, and sport teaches us that together we can make a difference.”
Translated by Rebecca Luna Escobar and revised by Francesco Gambino, students at the
Advanced School for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste, trainees in the newsroom of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities — Pagine Ebraiche.