WATCH Siya Kolisi: “We Touch Lives in Ways Governments and Politicians Can’t Do”

Watch Springbok Captain Siya Kolisi’s moving acceptance speech at the Laureus Awards 20th Anniversary in Berlin, Germany, on Monday evening.

Kolisi and his Springbok teammates were accepting the award for Laureus World Team of the Year.

Kolisi’s entire speech is inspirational. He stressed the team effort and pointed out the separate challenges that each player has faced to get where they are.

He also shared with the audience how important it was for the team to win during a period when South Africa was going through tough times with gender-based violence and xenophobia…

But it’s what he said at the end that everyone’s talking about most.

Looking into the gathered crowd of some of the world’s top sports people, Kolisi said: “To all the sportsmen, just keep on doing what you’re doing… because it’s not just about you; there’s people who are looking at you; and we really touch people’s lives in ways that governments can’t do, politicians can’t do.

“You can touch and change a kid’s life. You don’t even know who he is or where he’s from but he looks at you and says: one day I want to be like that.”

Kolisi knows. He was once that kid. And tonight there are probably thousands of children in South Africa – and around the world – watching and thinking: “One day I want to be like Siya Kolisi.”

The people's champion @SiyaKolisi_Bear 🙌

A special and moving speech from the incredible World Team of the Year @Springboks' captain 🇿🇦

"We really touch lives in the way governments and politicians can't do."

A true sporting inspiration 👏#Laureus20 #SportUnitesUs pic.twitter.com/e4h6P1Yvfx

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) February 17, 2020

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