An Olympian and a polite political opponent
At a time when Greece is deeply divided, and our political leaders bitterly attack each other on a daily basis, the magnanimity, generosity and kindness of two-time Olympic silver medalist Alexandros Nikolaidis, who passed away recently at the age of 42, touched the nation and for a moment created a unified emotional response that transcended ideologies and political affiliations.
Nikolaidis, a former tae kwon do champion, was also actively involved in politics, being the deputy spokesperson of main opposition SYRIZA.
The emotional note he wrote and that was published on social media just after his death not only brought many to tears, but also sent a strong political message which hopefully will be heard across party lines.
The former prime minister and presently head of the opposition, Alexis Tsipras, spoke at Nikolaidis’ funeral of the latter’s “love for his country, pure and deep,” which made him “unyielding to those who used its name to create division.”
Perhaps the most important message came from conservative PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who began his speech in Parliament last Friday by noting that Nikolaidis was “a champion of life, a great athlete, a sensitive family man, a polite political opponent.” This last point is worth emphasizing. “A polite political opponent.”
In the face of the social decadence we are witnessing with a number of disgusting cases, the soothing words of the late champion came as a much-needed antidote. In the ugliness we are witnessing, he offered kindness and hope.
In his last words he emphasized the things that matter and should unite us. With his emotional message he touched us all, and hopefully contributed to us having a bit more kindness and less vindictiveness.
At a time when civility is desperately missing from Greece’s political discourse, which is characterized by a disturbing dose of toxicity, the loss of an Olympian who made us proud as an athlete, came to remind us, among many other powerful things, of the importance of family, and that one may be a political opponent, but they are not an enemy.
He also wrote that “in this life where we are all transient, it matters more what mark we leave behind, not how or when we leave.” This noteworthy point is true for politicians too.
