President Reagan's Remarks at the Olympic Torch Ceremony on the South La...

Ladies and gentlemen the .

President of the United States yeah.

If you will.

Like George.

All members of the Congress distinguished guests and Friends of the olympics.

It's a pleasure to welcome you to have this opportunity to take part in this ceremony the nineteen eighty four olympic torch relay carries on in the footsteps of 10 previous olympics by the time the torch reaches the los angeles coliseum on july twenty eight.

It would have passed through 33 states more than a thousand communities and as you've probably guessed through the District of Columbia but i believe this year's relay is truly special because it's giving something back to our young people.

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of Americans we now have a multi-million dollar fund to promote and expand amateur sport training and so pleased that the legacy for youth program will help the Special Olympics the family ymca's boys clubs & girls clubs of america strengthen their commitment to the growth and well-being of young people all across America the Olympic torch the symbol of continuity between the ancient and modern Olympic Games was a proud tradition it is now in our hands and the United States is totally committed to upholding the Olympic Charter and the traditions which this torch represents as the host nation for the games of the 23rd Olympian we will fulfill our responsibilities athletes and Olympic officials of all countries will find a warm welcome in Los Angeles and will be treated equally and without discrimination as you know the los angeles olympic organizing committee and the international olympic committee have done everything possible to create a hospitable climate in which all participants will be able to perform to the best of their ability and i have instructed agencies the federal government to cooperate fully with olympic and local officials to ensure the safety of all participants we consider sport to be one of the finest opportunities for people of all nations to come in - no one to understand each other.

And in sport nothing can match the competition of the Olympics the Olympics provide the ultimate experience in watching athlete survive strive to honest effort.

Fair play discipline and determination to reach the top athletes know better than anyone that there's more much more to the Olympic experience than winning medals.

It's the personal striving the ability to achieve the fullest measure of human potential that counts most athletes look to their sport with a common mind knowing that they will never go fast enough to say this is as fast as we can go there will always be a new standard to win for that last fraction of an inch that extra second athletes all over the world live by the Olympic motto swifter higher stronger Olympics breed inspiration.

Who will ever forget jesse owens achievements in 1936 Bob demons 29-foot two and a half inch broad jump in Mexico City that's real of striving for excellence in sports as in other areas of our lives.

Fires our imagination stirs us to dream great dreams and awful often enables us to achieve them by embracing the Olympic tradition we have reason to look to the future with optimism and hope because the Olympic spirit carries be on the field of competition.

Do we place too much emphasis on sports or expect too much of them.

I don't think so the olympics were started more than 2,000 years ago to hopefully offer a substitute to the constant warfare between the city-state's of Greece they were revived on an international basis nearly a century ago and again the goal was peace and understanding let us keep that Olympic tradition alive in Los Angeles and resolve that the olympic flame will burn ever brighter and now let's get that Olympic torch on to Los Angeles I'll see you all there and thank you and God bless you all shall we step right out ok.