Prelapsarian:
characteristic of or belonging to the time or state before the fall of humankind [Merriam-Webster]
Noted in “The Curious Case of the Electrified Épée,” Michael Farber, SI.com:
Sandy Kerekes is 95. Over a Wiener schnitzel lunch at Foyer Hongrois in early March, a Hungarian seniors residence on the edge of downtown Montreal, he says he sometimes still dreams about [Boris] Onischenko. Kerekes was nurtured in a prelapsarian sporting world and believes athletic competition—especially his sport—is meaningless if devoid of honor. Once Onischenko made the conscious decision to cheat, Kerekes says, “There were two ways for this to end. He could get caught. Or if he didn’t get caught and won, he would’ve been a total goddamn heel in his own head. This would have represented a downfall of a human mind. He would have lost his honor even if he would’ve been a hero for society and history.”
There’s an inherent difference in being the best and being a champion. The latter is just a guy with a trophy. Being the best, well, unless it’s best at cheating, it means something.
