As the Winter Olympics commenced in Milan Cortina, Pope Leo XIV, a known enthusiast of tennis and sports, delivered a thoughtful message focusing on the intrinsic values of sport and the hazards posed by an excessive emphasis on winning and profit. In his statement titled “Life in Abundance,” released to coincide with the opening ceremony, the pope traced how Christian thinkers and past pontiffs have recognized sports and recreational activities as instrumental in nurturing both the body and the spirit.
Highlighting the significance of the ancient Olympic truce, Pope Leo renewed his appeal to global leaders to honor this tradition as a means to promote peace and dialogue amidst international rivalry. Grounded in his personal experience as an athlete, he deeply explored how the true essence of sport is threatened when practices such as doping and match-fixing undermine fair competition.
The pope warned unequivocally that such dishonesty not only damages sports themselves but also erodes public morale and diminishes sports’ positive societal contributions. He advocated for broader inclusivity in sports, emphasizing the importance of access for economically disadvantaged individuals and women. Furthermore, Pope Leo cautioned against fanaticism among supporters and an unhealthy obsession among athletes with their public image and victories.
“The cult of image and performance, amplified by media and digital platforms, risks fragmenting the person, separating body from mind and spirit,” he stated, underscoring the psychological and ethical toll of such fixation.
True sport, according to the pope, requires a shared ethical agreement among competitors—an acceptance of the rules and a respect for the contest's integrity. He stressed that recognizing one's physical limitations and adhering to established guidelines exemplifies discipline, perseverance, and loyalty—qualities essential for genuine success.
The pope’s engagement with sports is consistent with a historical pattern among pontiffs who have embraced athletics to promote peace, solidarity, and fraternity. Pope Leo’s call for an Olympic truce was accompanied by an appeal for world leaders to use the Games as an opportunity for détente and constructive dialogue.
At 70 years old, Pope Leo is distinguished by his active lifestyle: he regularly plays tennis and swims at his countryside retreat during the early part of each week. Previously as Cardinal Robert Prevost, he maintained a disciplined exercise regimen, including cardio workouts and posture training, indicative of a long-standing commitment to health and fitness. His interest in tennis was notably acknowledged shortly after his election when he met with top-ranked Italian player Jannik Sinner, who gifted him a tennis racket.
Drawing on his familiarity with tennis, Pope Leo described the exhilarating “flow experience” athletes and fans share during competitive play, where mutual challenge pushes participants to reach their limits regardless of age or professional standing. He urged athletes to internalize the values of sportsmanship that involve embracing vulnerability, humility in victory, and grace in defeat. These principles, he explained, foster community and highlight the journey’s importance over merely the outcome.
Pope Leo’s athletic spirit is part of a continuum; his predecessors St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI both valued physical activity in various forms, while Pope Francis emphasizes teamwork and camaraderie in sport despite his own modest playing abilities. During Pope Francis’s tenure, the Vatican even supported athletes in international track and cycling events.
Moreover, the pontiff has not shied from criticizing the negative aspects of professional sports, highlighting issues such as doping, match-fixing, and corruption that compromise public confidence in fair competition.