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Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Is there a link between sports, or more precisely the Asian Games, and diplomacy? Of course there are. Too much, in fact.

Sport has actually become an apolitical force in which political actors – both national and international – influence patterns of intranational and international relations.

Long before humans were familiar with the concept of the nation-state, the city-states of ancient Greek times were always at war with each other, regularly communicating with each other. events a sport shrouded in religion that later inspired what we know today as the Olympics.

This ancient Greek example has continued into the modern era, where sport has become a powerful diplomatic tool paving the way for harmony.

The “ping-pong diplomacy” in 1971 which initiated the opening of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, the “hockey diplomacy” in 1972 which paved the way for harmony between Canada and China. Examples of this include the Soviet Union during the Cold War era, and the “cricket diplomacy” in 2011 which became a catalyst for improved geopolitical relations between Pakistan and India.

Events Sport is also an opportunity to spread a message of reconciliation in the world.

An example of this is the period when West Germany and East Germany competed as one team at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, and the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The two Koreas followed Germany's lead by marching together at the opening of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. And more recently, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang marked a major reversal in relations between the two Koreas.

Sports and events Major sporting events such as the Asian Games, this year's edition of which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang next month, are also a way for countries to show who they are on the world stage, increasing their international prestige and strengthening their international reputation. gentle power they.

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), which will soon replace the traditional political and economic powers of the world, are the most current example.

All BRICS countries, as well as South Korea, welcomed events a great sport that they use to increase their prestige and international status, in addition to promoting their great achievements, especially economic.

Brazil hosted the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup, India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games, South Africa hosted the World Cup. 2010 World Cup, while China hosted the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Indonesia can join the BRICS by using the 2018 Asian Games as a way to showcase to the world the great achievements of the Indonesian people, not only in sports, but also economically, culturally, socially and politically, with almost the same objectives as those of China and BRICS. China has reached higher levels than countries.

5,000 journalists from 45 countries, plus 150,000 foreign tourists, of course not only want to report and see what will happen in the sports arena, but also how athletes from all over Asia can compete and compete comfortably and safely. security during the 2018 Asian Games.

Therefore, they come to appreciate, perceive and experience how Indonesia provides sports facilities, accommodation and transportation systems, and services to athletes.

When they conclude how beautiful, modern, organized, cultured and professional Indonesia is in organizing the Asian Games, then they will definitely find out why Indonesia can serve the participants of the 2018 Asian Games in such a modern way, professional, organized and resourceful as they imagined. and hoped for, perhaps even much higher than their expectations.

If they reach this conclusion, they will then discover how fundamental aspects of modernity developed in Indonesia.

When the focus shifts to how Indonesia develops itself, it will involve how Indonesia develops its economy, how Indonesia organizes its political life because order is also linked to political institutions, how Indonesia maintains and advances its social and cultural life and how Indonesia advances its life. tourism sector.

If the findings of journalists and foreign tourists are positive, it will at least serve as a footnote to what happened in Palembang and Jakarta in the future. landmarks on how other countries should organize it events likewise, it will be a gateway for the world's great appreciation of what is happening in Indonesia, whether it is sports, politics, economics, social culture or tourism.

If the image is this positive, it will be easier for Indonesia to attract the attention of the global economy, especially the flow of foreign investments and tourists.

China is a concrete example of how events Sports was used as a way to erase all the bad images of China, so the world turned around and congratulated China for its success in the 2008 Olympics. Not only that, the diplomatic projections of China have also moved further down the spectrum of influence compared to before.

For this reason, you would be wrong if you only evaluate the economic incentives that can be obtained from the positive image of a successful organization of the Asian Games, because this positive image will also spill over into other sectors, such as politics , even on posture and profile. of diplomacy.

The expected conclusion of the success of the Asian Games is to build an image of Indonesia as advanced, ready and stable, which at the next level will make the world think that Indonesia is ready to play a central role in many aspects of world life. .

It is not impossible that from the Asian Games onwards, the world will consider that Indonesia, which is established, modern and stable, is ready to play a broader and more important role in the management of the world, in particular by making respect justice, promoting equality and advancing dialogue. and perpetuate harmony and peace in the world.

Sport must be separated from politics, but it is not illegal to derive great incentives from sporting success for sectors outside of sport, notably politics and diplomacy, which of course also includes economic and commercial diplomacy.

And if everything goes as positively as all elements of the nation expect, then Indonesia can immediately try to later connect the positive image of the Asian Games with Indonesia's diplomatic struggle, not only for the Indonesia but also for world peace, especially since Indonesia is currently a member of the UN Security Council.