During his career, Belgian sailor Sebastien Godefroid made it several times to the top of the World Ranking List and has been national, European, and world champion.
So it is only fitting that Godefroid, 37, was chosen out of 96 Belgian Olympic team members to carry the Belgian flag during the opening ceremony at Beijing 2008.
He took over the job from table tennis player Jean-Michel Saive, who carried the Belgian flag in Athens in 2004.
This is Godefroid’s fourth Olympics, having won a silver medal in Atlanta in 1996. In Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 he came 7th.
Although passionate about sailing, Godefroid also possesses a keen social conscience and is aware of the importance of human rights.
When, several months before the Olympics, Dutch swimming athlete Pieter van den Hoogenband launched an appeal to IOC chairman Jacques Rogge to publicly speak out about the human rights situation in China, several Belgian athletes applauded the appeal. Godefroid was one of them.
“It would be good if Rogge dares to speak out,” Godefroid said at the time. “I’m sure the image of China that has been reserved for the Olympics is much different from the China that we don’t get to see.”
Another Belgian athlete, runner Kim Gevaert spoke of the dilemma many athletes going to Beijing probably faced when considering competing in a country ruled by a totalitarian regime.
“The Olympics should not be hosted in a country that violates human rights. But as athletes we are in a difficult situation. On one hand we want to show a good sporting performance wherever we are in the world, on the other hand we cannot be blind to what happens in the world.”
Godefroid is also the patron of the Belgian NGO “Zachte Kracht” (Soft Force) which offers sailing experiences to physically and mentally handicapped youth.
In Beijing Godefroid is competing with his partner Carolijn Brouwer in the Tornado sailing class.
