Pope Francis warns Olympic leaders against 'commercialization of sport'

Pope Francis has warned Olympic leaders that the commercialization of sport may undermine its spiritual values, and that looking for profit and victory at all costs risked reducing athletes to mere trading material.

According to the BBC, Pope Francis played basketball in his youth and still follows his local Buenos Aires football team.

He said that sport is harmony, but if money and success prevail as the aim, this harmony would crumble.

Pope Francis, who was elected in March, has struck a different tone to his predecessor on a range of issues, the report said.

He said recently the Church was too focused on preaching about abortion, gay people and contraception, the report added.