Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Leads Global Dialogue at The WFEB’s 7th World Summit on Ethics and Leadership in Sports

Bengaluru: Ethical violations in pursuit of records and legacy in sports have been a serious concern in recent times, often drawing scrutiny and denting the trust of viewers. At the same time, there is ample evidence of how sportsmanship, sporting excellence, and ethics uplift the spirit of a game, unify and inspire an entire generation. The 7th World Summit on Ethics and Leadership in Sports, organized by World Forum for Ethics in Business, drew global voices from sports, politics, business, academia, NGOs, and think tanks, in a thoughtful exchange of ideas on whether success can truly endure if values are compromised; and what it takes to win with integrity in a high-pressure world.

The summit hosted compelling discussions on sports as a tool for peace-building, gender parity, mental health, peak performance and longevity, and what it takes to be the best not just in sports but in life and leadership. It also explored how lessons from the field, like fair play, team spirit, and endurance, can shape ethical leadership in politics and business.

“In sports, you either win or you make others win,” Gurudev shared in his keynote. “We must learnt to celebrate both. The very act of playing brings joy,” Gurudev shared. “When we understand this, we remain ethical in sports naturally; otherwise, we find sporting arenas turn violent.*

Talking about the role of mental health, Gurudev shared, “A baby starts playing before it even starts to walk. Sports being so natural to us, where have we gone wrong today?” pointing to the fact that despite sports and music, one-third of the world’s population is feeling lonely, depressed, and unhappy, and “this is something to think about.”

“If we can take the whole life as a sport,” Gurudev further said, “there will be no war in the world, no heartburns, and no mistrust.”

The other distinguished speakers included Kaamya Karthikeyan, the 17-year-old mountaineering prodigy who has summited the highest peaks on all seven continents; Kevin Young, Olympic gold medalist and former 400m hurdles world record holder; Hon. Svyatoslav Yurash, Member of Parliament, Ukraine; Honey Thaljieh, Palestinian football pioneer; Thomas Helmer, Euro ’96 champion and TV personality; and Divyakriti Singh, India’s first female equestrian to win a gold at the Asian Games. Here’s the full list of speakers: )

Bringing attention to the role that sports can play in breaking barriers and empowering marginalized communities, Honey Thaljieh, the first captain of the Palestinian women’s football team, remarked, “Performance without purpose is hollow. Success without ethics is fragile. And power without responsibility is dangerous. True success is not just about the trophies we lift, but the lives we lift along the way…Because sport does not exist in isolation. It reflects the society.”

In a unique session, panelists explored the emergence of the Enhanced Games, which allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances under medical supervision. Some said it is the future of human achievement, while others saw it as an ethical collapse.

The Ethics in Sports Awards recognized performances that set a benchmark in sportsmanship and ethics. The Outstanding Individual Award was conferred upon Xherdan Shaqiri, international football star, for ‘his longstanding commitment to integration, fairness, and intercultural dialogue through sport.’ Outstanding Contribution to Mental Health in Sports was awarded to Jeannine Gmelin, an elite Swiss rower, for her advocacy of mental health, fairness in sport, and support to young female athletes.

The World Forum for Ethics in Business, with special consultative status at the United Nations, has been at the forefront of ethical advocacy for over two decades. Under Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision, WFEB has partnered with global institutions like the European Parliament, FIFA, the Max Planck Institute, and the UN in Geneva to promote the message that values and performance are not opposites—but inseparable allies.

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