This quote hits directly at the heart of what this entire piece is about. Sports transcends all and seeks to bring people together rather than drive them apart. Even in Brazil’s troubled past which is full of surges in power and nationalism, there have always been sports to serve as a form of consistency. The article talks of how even through the rule of Getulio Vargas, who sought to rid the country of anything that wasn’t directly Brazilian. Western spots, however, were able to stay because they had already made such an impactful influence on the country that they were deemed “Brazilian”. Sports show not only unity but civilization. Sports allow a country to unite under one banner to an agreeable cause in which the people put aside differences to support their team. This international spread of sports also allows these South American countries to relate to larger countries. These nationalized sports also allow for these smaller countries to defeat larger countries in which they may never have a chance to realistically compete on a level battlefield like they would a soccer or baseball field. The introduction of these sports also allowed Brazilians to become increasingly involved in an activity that would build bonds between citizens and promote a sense of community all while promoting a healthier lifestyle. Athletics also have a bigger sense of purpose for those who would otherwise be stuck in an unending cycle of poverty. Regardless of governmental, ethical, economic, and moral issues that countries may disagree upon, it is evident the importance that sports hold all over the globe. Even the nations that hold even the most basic freedoms from their citizens allow for sports to continue on. Sports bring people together and can oftentimes be more unifying than any government, party, leader, legislation and etc., could ever be.
