Let’s Move the world, says IOC with Sindhu at heart of campaign

CHENNAI: Sport has the inherent ability to engage and inspire. It has the power to change lives. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is tapping the potential of sports and sportspersons to attract the masses into exercising or ‘to move’. It’s going to launch the global ‘Let’s Move campaign’ on June 23.  India’s multiple Olympic Games medallist PV Sindhu figures among legends like Allyson Felix and Pau Gasol, and other Olympic stars in video clips inviting people to join them for a short exercise session.

In a sneak peek shared with this newspaper, Sindhu speaks about the importance of cool-down sessions and shows how to work on the quadriceps through stretching. The bigger goal, however, is to inspire people to take up exercise and turn it into a routine.

“I’m really excited to have sent my Olympic Invite for Olympic Day,” she said in a statement shared with this newspaper. “Why? Because it is really important for everyone to keep moving, every day in their daily life. Regular exercise is very important. As athletes, we exercise every day for many hours. Through this ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, I hope to inspire the people to step out and do some sort of exercise, so that they can keep themselves healthy and fit.”

The sole objective of such a mass movement is aimed at persuading people, young and old, to find at least 30 minutes in their daily life for exercise. Something that’s strangely not happening among majority of the population worldwide. The IOC, through eight super stars will be “inviting people to schedule 30 minutes to work out with them, digitally.”

Incidentally, the IOC is expecting India to take part in a big way. In an exclusive information shared with this newspaper, the IOC has said Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT) is involved in setting this up “as part of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) run by ABFT in India, (and) there will be a state-wide activation in Odisha to celebrate Olympic Day. This activation is set to reach a staggering 65,000 schools in the state and will touch approximately 7 million children,” said the IOC.The IOC has said that this Olympic Movement will help encourage and support people around the world to find time in “their daily lives to move in any way, anywhere”.

The IOC is trying to take sports beyond elite athletes. Leandro Larrosa, IOC Digital Engagement & Marketing Director, put it quite succinctly: “This year on Olympic Day, we want to emphasise that the Olympic Movement goes beyond elite sport and embraces everyone at the local, regional and global level. It is our responsibility and our ambition to inspire young people to move more every day, and to incorporate sport into their daily lives for the sake of their physical and mental wellbeing.

“It was an alarming report from the World Health Organization (WHO) that triggered this idea and this new initiative, as far too many young people are leading sedentary lives. ‘Let’s Move’ is therefore a global initiative in partnership with the WHO. Unsurprisingly, we put athletes at the centre of the campaign in order to inspire people. PV Sindhu was a natural choice as an exemplary athlete, an Olympic medalist and one of India’s most successful athletes of all time. We are delighted she is part of the campaign.”