| |
 | Speeches | | |
The President of the Republic at the election of the Athlete of the Year and conclusion of the Sports Year, on December 21, 2001 at the Saku Hall21.12.2001
Dear Friends,
I am sincerely delighted to be here with you concluding the present sports year. For me too, the ending year has been very busy, I could even, half jokingly, say it has been athletic.
Today, I would not like to speak about this year's achievements of the Estonian athletes. We all know these achievements, and it would not be fair to let my preferences take influence on the election of the best athlete of the year.
Sport in general helps to join a nation and is comprehensible to everyone alike. Yet in particular this refers to smaller nations. Victory in the sports arena gives a small nation much more joy than to a big one. It concerns everyone and lets people experience solidarity. Looking at the achievements of our athletes we can be proud of our genetic code which despite of our small number has permitted to arise quite a lot of outstanding athletes.
But to count only on our roots would be short-sighted. We must ask ourselves over and over again where our top-level athletes are growing and what have we to do to be able of rejoicing in athletic successes of our compatriots in future too. Looking at the statistics of the last years we can realize that the number of those going in for sports has increased substantially; the intermediate low tide has been overcome and more and more the understanding is growing that healthy ways of life help us to enjoy life. One could even say that sport is one of the foundation stones of life. The number of people taking part in the Tartu Marathon and other similar popular races is rising steadily. Once again, society has begun to value healthy life-stile.
Development of sports clubs and possibilities to go in for sports, without any doubt, play an important role in becoming accustomed to athletic habits. While in our cities and towns quite a lot new modern sports halls both have been and are being built, unfortunately we can not say the same about our rural regions. Facilities for physical activities belong to the most essential indicators of the life quality but, unfortunately, just in the countryside possibilities for physical training are lacking. Yet there of all the places our top class sport originates. If we do not have strong clubs and appropriate sports halls all over Estonia then our chances to be successful in top class sports are decreasing. At present, the percentage of young men who because of their poor health are not eligible for the service in the Defence Forces is rather high too.
Indicators of this kind testify directly to the decreasing vitality of our people. The vitality of a people is regarded as a unity of education, health and will. We must promote all those aspects jointly. Then our state will progress as well.
Therefore, in the first place, I would like to request our top class athletes to support with their personal engagement the sport of the youth and establishment of sports clubs. And that they, after they have quitted active athletics, would contribute with one part of their energy and skills to the development of sport of the youth. Only in this case we can hope that the present day heroes are going to have worthy successors. Your fame will also bring fame to Estonia.
Thank you and let me wish you strength for this!
|
| |
|
vpk.ee
