Britain's summer of sport has the power to unite us in fraught times

Team GB Olympians have arrived in Paris. The men's England football team left Germany proud, two-time finalists. And reigning champions, the Lionesses, have just qualified for their next Euros.

As Nelson Mandela famously said, "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does."

Throughout the annals of history, sport has played a pivotal role in uniting people and reminding nations of that which binds them in times of political, social, and economic turbulence.

The Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of President John F. Kennedy, is a perfect example. Following a period of political turmoil, athletes with disabilities came together to start a movement for inclusion around the world, reminding us of our shared humanity.

We need to channel that same spirit this summer because I have never known a more intense and contrasting period of sports and politics.

The UK and France both held elections within weeks of the men's Euros and the Olympics, and the US is also in the middle of an election-year campaign. With more voters than ever before heading to the polls this year across the globe, the accompanying debates raging-moments of joy and unity are more important than ever.

Most political disagreements are valid and important. We live in a complex world, and reasonable people can and should disagree. But in troubled times, it can begin to feel like an excess of politics.

Politics can empower people, but it can also be exhausting and divisive. As we have seen recently in the US, it can also turn ugly and even frightening, even in advanced democracies.

We've seen everything from a global pandemic to recessions to the first ground war in Europe for half a century. The last five years have, at times, felt like a rolling series of political crises.

These seismic events, and ongoing disagreement over what and who to blame for them, have made politics more fraught than ever.

The UK now has a new party in Government for the first time in over a decade-pleasing some and concerning others.

But everyone in Britain and abroad, whoever they vote for, wherever they are from, or whatever community they are a part of, can come together to enjoy this summer of sport.

As we saw in Germany, with England reaching the finals of the Euros just days after the election, sport still has the power to help the British public quickly overlook political divisions.

The Team GB athletes, young men and women from all corners of the UK, are already warming up in Paris, with the hopes and fears of a nation hanging heavily on their shoulders.

They will, I am sure, be inspired by the performance of England's young, determined, and resilient football team. They played well and, ultimately, lost. But they lost with pride and respect.

The men's England team – some of them just teenagers – gave the nation a rush of joy, hope, and exhilaration just when we needed it, and they have proven themselves to be great role models.

The upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris presents another opportunity for Britons to rally behind the nation's athletes.

The UK has the most amazing sporting history, helping to create and preserve many of the games and institutions that bring so much joy to people globally.

The first rules of rugby were written at Rugby School in 1845; the Football Association (FA) was formed in 1863, and the first Wimbledon tennis tournament was held in 1877. Later, in 1948, a small gathering of British World War II veterans became the Stoke Mandeville Games, which would go on to become the Paralympics.

The Paralympics, a truly unique and special British achievement, then helped inspire the Special Olympics, for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Sport today is more inclusive, powerful, and accessible than ever – thanks in no small part to the contributions of the United Kingdom. The Women's World Cup is finally starting to get the recognition it deserves, and newer, inclusive events like the Homeless World Cup are gaining traction, too.

From Bradley Wiggins improbably clinching the Yellow Jersey in the 2012 Tour De France, to Emma Raducanu's historic US Open victory in 2021, sport provides us with unforgettable memories that transcend political and economic divides.

So, with the general election in the rear-view mirror and the new Government setting to work, let's all unite to savour the excitement of our summer of sport.

Kim Samuel is Founder of the Belonging Forum, author of On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation, and Board Director of Special Olympics International