PARIS — As athletes gear up for training ahead of the Paris Olympics and organizers finalize everything from ceremonies to the podium, more than 120 religious leaders are gearing up for another challenge: providing spiritual support to some 10,000 Olympians from around the world, especially those whose medal dreams are sure to be dashed.
“We need to bring them back to reality, because after four or five years of working toward this goal, it can feel like the end of the world,” said Jason Nioka, a former judo champion and deacon who leads the largest group of Olympic chaplains, about 40 Catholic priests, nuns and laypeople.
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