In 2000, when Mandela presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Pele, the ball king, he said, "Sport has the power to change the world. The power of sports is unparalleled. It can inspire and unite people. To break down racial barriers, sports are more powerful than the government. "

Solera Wanshoulu, a professor at the University of Johannesburg, said that Mandela's achievements were based on national beliefs based on racial reconciliation. And exercise is the means of his success.