Meeting Olympians as people – Olympic Chaplain talks about his role | The Church of England
Rev Ben Harding is one of 120 chaplains who will be offering support to athletes, coaches and those supporting the Olympic games in Paris.
He will spend this year’s games working in the heart of the Olympic Village as a Sports Chaplain, providing another source of support for the athletes and staff taking part.
His role, he says, is about offering the athletes: “An opportunity to speak to people who will see them as people – just to meet them as they are as people.”
The Olympic Chaplaincy team was first established for the Seoul games in 1988 and this year Rev Ben joins the largest multi-faith chaplaincy team of any Olympics since. Providing a neutral environment in the Olympic Village Chaplains like Ben will be providing worship services, prayers and a listening ear.
He described the chaplaincy centre as: “A place of listening, a place of worship, a place of fun, a place of welcome and a place of resource.
Rev Ben expected people to come to the Chaplaincy for many different reasons, those who already have a faith, those who are just looking for someone to talk to and those who see it as an opportunity to ask questions, about how competitive sports and faith can work together.
He added: “Under the pressure of international expectation for competitors and athletes there is sometimes just that moment where people stop and they think about what is important and re-evaluate their lives a little bit.”
Since his arrival at the Chaplaincy centre he explained that: “It has also provided an opportunity to meet, learn from, and hopefully encourage Christians who face persecution at home.”
Rev Ben Harding is the Chaplain of Trinity Church Lyon.
