With God At The Non-Striker's End

The almighty might be invoked for that final push, but sportsmen have implicit faith in training, coaches and true grit

- Suresh Menon

“THERE are no atheists in a foxhole.” I am not sure who said this to me during a Formula One weekend in Europe. It might have been Michael Schumacher, then not yet world champion or winner of a record 91 races. He was already being hailed as successor to the great Ayrton Senna, who had been killed in a crash earlier that season.

Faith—not necessarily religious—is an important element in a sportsman’s kit bag. It reduces anxiety and boosts self-confidence. You don’t have to be a book-thumping member of a religious group to believe in a greater power. Current world champion Lewis Hamilton has said, “God has his hand over me.” It is enough to believe. Faith asks no questions.

Senna himself had a pragmatic way of looking at it, though. “Because I believe in god and have faith in god, it doesn’t mean I am immortal. It doesn’t mean I am immune, as has been claimed. I am as scared as anyone of getting hurt, esp e ci ally driving a Formula One car.”

Formula One would be in anyone’s list as a ‘dangerous’ sport, as any sport which involves speeds of over 300kmph must be, regardless of the safety precautions which have saved lives.

But all competitive sports are potentially dangerous. Boxing, cricket, ice hockey, American football, rugby, basketball, cycling, gymnastics, athletics have all recorded deaths on the field. But that alone isn’t what makes sportsmen turn to god while performing. Often, like the rest of us, they turn to god for favours too.