Special report: 2008 Olympic Games     

    by Wei Jianhua

    BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The universal Olympic spirit shines through a special encounter of the basketball teams from Iran and the United States, the two countries that have seen their ties gravely strained over Iran's disputed nuclear ambitions.

    The Iranian basketball team has arrived in the United States for a series of tournaments in six days, a move many observers believe will foster goodwill between people from the two sides, whose links have been severed in the past 30 years due to long-time estrangement and Iran's nuclear drive.

    The move came as Iran test-fired a missile it said was capable of reaching Israel or any other targets in the region, angering the United States amid growing fears that the standoff over Tehran's nuclear drive could lead to war.

    Through a series of tournaments in the run-up to the Beijing Olympic Games, the basketball games demonstrate that sports can go far beyond politics. Ironically, the United States is still pursuing harsher sanctions against Iran that Washington has called a "rogue state," while the later vows to confront its "enemy" with all its military capabilities.

    With the basketball games, communication between athletes and people from the two adversaries will be enhanced. When mounting tensions shroud the gulf region, "the basketball diplomacy" triumphs.

    Contacts between athletes sometimes work as "pioneer" for national communication, and it often functions better than expected at the time of worsened bilateral ties.

    Revealing the intention of the move, NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement that such contact will demonstrate "how something as simple as a game of basketball can promote understanding."

    NBA is well known for its various shows, such as basketball technique show, star show and freshman show. This time, the basketball players from the two sides will show the whole world how sports can help the two peoples communicate.

    The heightened tensions between Iran and the United States have made it difficult for the two countries' people to communicate with each other. Thanks to this year's Olympics, the basketball players can have the chance of face-to-face exchanges, demonstrating the enormous appeal of the Olympic spirit, which promotes friendship and harmony.

    The U.S. and Iranian basketball players cannot fully understand each other's playing technique and strategy in as short as six days. The same is true of relations between the two countries.

    However, sports diplomacy has its symbolic significance. Contacts between the two countries' basketball players will send the message of mutual communication to both societies. As U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns has said, the engagement between the U.S. and Iranian people are conducted "with the hope of bridging the divide."

    The basketball diplomacy shows that on the Olympic stage, the drive to build a harmonious world will gain new momentum and communication between countries will bring about new opportunities.

    "It is rewarding to bring people together to celebrate teamwork, discipline and respectful competition on the court," Stern said.