Pope Francis on Wednesday urged athletes taking part in the 2016 Olympics in Rio to exemplify the unity of the human race during the event.
Speaking at the weekly General Audience, the Pope urged Olympians not to consider winning medals as the ultimate prize, but instead to encapsulate a civilisation in which solidarity takes precedence, EFE news reported.
The Pope said it was possible to create a society "based on the acknowledgment that everyone is a member of the same human family, independent of culture, skin colour and religion".
It was the Pope's first General Audience address since returning last week from Poland, where he celebrated World Youth Day and made a poignant visit to the Auschwitz Nazi concentration and extermination camp.
The Olympic Games are scheduled to run from August 5-21.
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