Olympic athletes are the greatest ambassadors of goodwill in the world of sports. They are our heroes, teachers & mentors and therefore the most effective messengers of sportsmanship for people everywhere, especially the youth of today.

The vision of OLYMPIAN.ORG is to mobilize the Olympians of the world. To motivate them to inspire others with the glory of sport; to bring them together in activities that keep the spirit and promise of sportsmanship alive and vibrant in the communities where they live.

OLYMPIAN.ORG promotes the idea of sportsmanship as an attitude that strives for fair play, courtesy towards teammates and opponents, ethical behavior and integrity, and grace in losing.

As a community OLYMPIAN.ORG unites Olympic athletes who share a love for sports across the globe. Sport is one of the most prevalent common threads in our daily existence and has the power to change, improve and motivate.

More than just a name, being an OLYMPIAN is an expression of a life-style -  a representation of principle and moral values. It indicates that one lives by the code of integrity, team play and fair competition.

More than just a community, OLYMPIAN.ORG expounds on the value that together people can make a change. As globally responsible citizens, the planet can be changed for the better. As ambitious as these statements may sound, research has proven again and again that sport brings people together like no other activity in the world. Wars have been halted over a game of sport and the Olympic Truce has held up for over a hundred years.

The connection between athletes and altruism is not far fetched. On the field of competition and play we can see the most extreme characteristics of an individual in the pursuit of victory, the acknowledgement of the opponent, respect for team, necessity of cooperation and grace in losing. More prominent qualities of human behavior are displayed during the practice of sport then any other activity known to man.

Altruism involves putting the interests of others above one’s own interests. It is altruism that forms the basis of the meaning of life itself, which is to live for others. People are not inevitably driven by self-interest, and this is apparent in all sports. In life this can be seen just in the simple case of a mother putting her baby’s interest above her own, protecting him even if her own safety is threatened. It is seen every day when people risk their lives to rescue others, to protect freedom and preserve their way of life.  That is what makes us as human  beings so special. We are willing to die for other members of our species, and many of us recognize that every human life is worth
more than all the material possessions in the world.

Altruism should inform transform all of our thinking and actions, as this will ensure maximum collective happiness. It will also make us better individuals; as it will rid us of selfishness and encourage us to think about the circumstances of others. We need to first care about others before we can even be motivated to help them out of problems such as war and poverty.

If we are to care about people, then we must be open-minded and receptive to other people and their experiences. We cannot maintain insularity amongst a few people while closing ourselves off to others; as understanding is only accomplished by being open to different people, their stories and their experiences. We need to be non-judgmental if we want to understand this world, and able to initiate change for the benefit of us all.

Sports bind people together like no other interest, across boundaries, cultural and religious differences. It is through the medium of community that we can achieve not only international relationships connected by the love of sport, but also the mindset to pursue the ambition of a better world for ourselves and the generations following us.

Each person’s experiences are unique, but when those experiences have their foundation in sport, we get to truly encounter the depths of commitment and excellence that are always present in personality traits of those who practice the game. Sharing these experiences across the OLYMPIAN.ORG community will encourage, inspire, educate and motivate all to pursue a better world.

As Olympians we are indeed committed to a lifestyle, a moral code and the pursuit of excellence.


Nick VandenBrekel
Founder