Difficult times breed good leaders

The month of April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, and is the first 30-day month in the year. It always feels like a transition between "the beginning" and "the rest" of the year. It is when we shift from those first events and activities (often, but not always, the winter sports) to the remaining programme – be it World University Championships or Games in the University Sports Movement. This time round has proven to be no different, with the onset of situations from February/March reaching tipping points at various different levels.

The world of sport, in general, continues confused with regards to events, calendars, participation, presidencies, eligibilities, acceptance or refusal of countries. These times have all but made it starkly evident that there is finest of lines between global occurrences and what happens at the smallest scale of measurement at events. The known butterfly effect and how something small can have non-linear impacts on something systemically complex. To be clear, what is happening is clearly not the simple flapping of butterfly wings and I certainly hope there isn’t a typhoon down the line.

And as after any crisis situation, what follows is effectively the rolling up of sleeves and getting back to work – hopefully with renewed enthusiasm and energy, and equally with the ability to learn from past experience and with the wish for at least an equal outcome, if not better. New hosts, new dates, new deadlines are more and more a new reality, often in contrast with the mirrored reflexion of someone who has fallen asleep in the shade of the banana tree with the afternoon breeze blowing.

At the same time, at so many levels, the struggle would be far greater were it not for exceptional leaders stepping up and understanding the reality in which we now live. The infamous quote “difficult times breed good leaders” can be the only gain for anything that is understood as some form of legacy from this day and age.