Even if you do not like sport you cannot help but be immersed in the European Maccabi Games, which commence in Berlin on Tuesday.
It will be a poignant occasion for many people for many different reasons. Having covered previous EMGs in Stirling, Antwerp, Rome and Vienna, this one will be extra special for me too as I visit the hometown of my late father for the first time.
He told me some incredible stories over the years about his run-ins with Hitler youth and how he became involved in sport both for fitness and self-defence reasons. Ultimately he was a boxer and a sprinter, so if ever he was outnumbered, he showed the Nazi regime a clean pair of heels, although running away was never his style.
I’ve been to Germany several times, but never to Berlin. As Daniel Collins said, Vienna was historic but to see 2,400 Jewish athletes, alongside managers and coaches, cheered on by family members and friends, will be something quite special. The event has attracted national and international media and the EMGs’ first-ever pre-camp will be a real game-changer.
Then there’s the opening ceremony. Vienna 2011 was a unique occasion but when the masses converge on the Waldbuhne in front of 15,000 spectators, Germany won’t know what’s hit it.
No doubt tears will be shed by young and old, both before and during the Games, but the most important aspect is that we shout the message loud and proud to any Nazi sympathisers — we are here and Hitler is not. Let’s inspire and teach a generation to remember and commemorate the fallen, and ensure that we all stand tall and proud together in the name of sport.
* Dean Furman’s search for a new club continues after Blackburn Rovers decided to let the South Africa captain go after a trial. Boss Gary Bowyer said: “We’ve made the decision not to go with him due to the restrictions that we’re under. He’s been fantastic but if the circumstances had been different for us then it might have been different.”
* Thirty teams, including holders Norstar London Raiders A, have been handed byes for the first round of next season’s Cyril Anekstein Cup. Only two ties were drawn, with Woodford Wanderers hosting Oakwood A and FC Team C welcoming Maccabi London Lions B.
* Temple Fortune have won the MMFL Sportsmanship Trophy. Fortune chairman Nigel Kyte said: “This is a far from meaningless accolade for the club – it rewards the hard work and sporting ethics which we try to instil in our Sunday football. This is very much a collective team award for everyone involved."
