On Sunday, 100 years after a Scottish runner famously refused to compete at the Paris Olympics because of his Christian faith, top religious athletes say performing at the top level still poses some obstacles to practicing the faith that is central to their lives on and off the field.
Much of the controversy at this summer's Paris Olympics revolves around Islam, as France's unique secularist principles forbid athletes from wearing headscarves or other visible religious symbols, though the ban does not affect Olympians from other countries.
But athletes of various faiths say that as sporting organisations and major events aim to be more inclusive, they should do more to respect the diversity of religious practices, and for many, faith and spirituality are also essential to their mental health.
“Most people would think of sport and religion as separate things, but I see a big overlap. Everything we have is a gift from God. It is God who has given me this strength,” said Beatty Deutsch, an Orthodox Jewish runner who was selected to represent Israel at the Tokyo Olympics but did not compete in the women's marathon because it was scheduled on a Saturday to observe the Sabbath.
“I wish the sport's governing bodies would be more considerate of religion,” said Deutsch, 34, an Israeli-American mother of five who missed her qualification for the Paris Olympics because of an injury but recently resumed training with an eye on next year's world championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Miller's 1924 Saga
Her refusal to race on her God-given day is reminiscent of the 1924 story of Eric Liddell, immortalized in the Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire,” in which Liddell refused to run the Sunday heat in his best event, the 100 meters, but then incredibly won the gold medal in the 400 meters.
In her new book, “Beyond Gold,” U.S. Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympic Trials on Sunday, wrote about how Liddell's words about running to glorify God resonated with her.
She said embracing her Christian faith helped her overcome doubts and fears and transformed her life and career.
“For a long time, my identity was track and field,” she told The Associated Press just days before the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, “but I realized that first and foremost, I am a child of God, and I have been given the freedom to run the race that He has ordained for me to run.”
1 million followers
McLaughlin-Levrone, 24, shared prayers and lessons from her faith journey on Instagram, where she has more than 1 million followers, saying she prays with her coach, trainer and husband before every race.
When her heart is rooted in God, she is able to handle the pressure and high expectations of being an Olympian. “Especially in athletics, things are so uncertain and always changing.”
“That means believing what the Bible says, praying to it, keeping it front and center in your heart, not what the outside world is saying,” McLaughlin-Levrone said.
Laura Upenieks, a sociology professor at Baylor University who has studied top US college athletes, said athletes who have a strong attachment to God are less likely to be depressed, anxious or lonely than those with a negative perception of a punitive God or those who are not religious.
That's mainly because they don't base their self-worth on the approval of others, are less self-centered, and are able to see a bigger meaning beyond “being as good as my last race,” Upenieks added.
Higher goals
“Faith gives me the strength to stand firm and keep going, and reminds me that there are always bigger and higher goals to pursue,” said Marwa Bouzayani, 27, a Tunisian steeplechaser training for the Paris Olympics.
The first athlete to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, the devout Muslim competed in the 3,000m steeplechase dressed modestly in a hijab, or head covering. She trains regularly during Ramadan, when Muslims fast from food and water from dawn to dusk. The challenge made headlines in France this year, with the football federation refusing to accommodate the athlete who observes the religious rules.
“I have faced many challenges, including balancing my religious obligations with the demands of my training and confronting stereotypes and prejudices, but every difficulty I have faced has strengthened my resolve,” Bouzayani said.
In fact, she wants to be a role model for young Muslim girls and show them that “it is possible to succeed in top sport without abandoning your religious values and beliefs,” and to raise awareness about the importance of respecting cultural and religious diversity in the sporting world.
Dedication to Faith
Deutsch admires Bouzayani and McLaughlin-Levrone for their commitment and openness about their faith, and she hopes to be role models for young Orthodox Jewish girls who may never see top athletes competing in the way they do: head coverings, long sleeves and knee-length skirts.
Deutsch said that while such modest attire could be “a distraction” in a race where every second counts, inspiring others is far more important.
“I hope my story will inspire athletes,” she said.
Tamir Goodman said that over the past few decades, players, coaches and fans have become much more accepting of the need to look after athletes' health by incorporating mental and spiritual care into physical training. Known as the “Jewish Michael Jordan” in the late 1990s, he was the only observant Jew to play in Division I college basketball in the United States, although he didn't play on the Sabbath.
Carl Lewis, the U.S. track and field legend who won nine Olympic gold medals and now coaches young athletes, told The Associated Press that he doesn't consider himself religious but is a follower of the late Indian teacher Sri Chinmoy, who believed spiritual life and running go hand in hand.
“Younger athletes are now looking to spirituality for guidance and hope, and I think that's great for them,” he said.
Her faith helps
Shortly after qualifying for her third Olympic Games in Paris, U.S. high jumper Vashti Cunningham — whose father and coach is longtime NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham — told The Associated Press how her faith helps her through tough competitions like the Oregon qualifiers.
“I think without spirituality you really get lost,” said Cunningham, 26. “Especially in such a high-level sport where so many people rely on themselves and their own strength and their own training. I really just rely on God and God's strength and God's power.”
Orthodox Jewish runner Beatty Deutsch poses for a portrait before training with his team in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. After failing to qualify for the Paris games due to injury, Deutsch recently resumed training with an eye on next year's world championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Games. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Orthodox Jewish runner Beatty Deutsch, fourth from right, competes in the 1,500 meters in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Maya Arezzo)
Orthodox Jewish runner Beatty Deutsch, center, trains with his team in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Orthodox Jewish runner Beatty Deutsch, center, hugs fellow runners after competing in the 1,500-meter race in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Maya Arezzo)
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone prepares to start the women's 400-meter hurdles final at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon. It's been 100 years since a Scottish runner famously refused to race Sunday at the Paris Olympics because of her Christian faith. U.S. Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympic Trials on Sunday, writes in her new book, “Far Beyond Gold,” that Eric Liddell's words about running to glorify God resonated with her. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Orthodox Jewish runner Beatty Deutsch trains in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. “I wish the sports governing bodies would be more considerate of religion,” said Deutsch, 34, a mother of five. She had qualified to represent Israel at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but chose not to run in order to observe the Sabbath, as the women's marathon was scheduled for Saturday. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone prepares to start the women's 400-meter hurdles final at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon. It's been 100 years since a Scottish runner famously refused to race Sunday at the Paris Olympics because of her Christian faith. U.S. Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympic Trials on Sunday, writes in her new book, “Far Beyond Gold,” that Eric Liddell's words about running to glorify God resonated with her. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)