More than a game
When athletes stand up for rights
Words: Fatima, New Jersey
For many, sports are a familiar form of escape - a comfort away from the nine to five, harsh political climates, and realities of constantly refreshing the stock market. But for others, including some of the most visible athletes in the world, the field becomes a stage; a double-sided platform to spotlight injustice and mix entertainment with easily-absorbed statements that challenge the status quo by disrupting the typical smoothness of matches.
Many question the effectiveness of sports activism - success or failure? Necessary or superfluous? Disruptive or welcomed? Viewers have divergent views on the topic of activism during play. Why should their supposedly sole form of escape be encumbered by another addition of politics? But sports activism undeniably and unapologetically never ceases to cause the audience’s breath to hitch and the stadium’s chattering to glitch.
Few figures have sparked as much conversation as Colin Kaepernick in the recent decade. A former NFL quarterback turned activist, Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem, a famous and controversial statement used to protest police brutality and other forms of systemic racism. His gesture, although silent, spread a hush amongst the crowd and stirred all kinds of debate. Regardless of opinion, one thing was clear - Kaepernick used his platform to get the conversation going.
Kaepernick’s action received various responses, but in a recent study a group of respondents found the player’s actions effective in pushing for teammates as well as big leagues to implement social justice initiatives that raised awareness of racial issues. And recent news shows that Kaepernick has also maintained his dedication to football despite his time away from the NFL - continuing to train for a return.
Some viewers may assume that sports activism is a recent concept. But it has been present for a while - ever since games were televised, and in forms of sport that reflect subtle resistance in their roots.
For instance, the boxer Muhammad Ali used his position as a rising star to show his disdain for the Vietnam War through refusing the draft, saying “I ain’t got no quarrel with the Vietcong.” Major sports events have been a site of support for the Palestinian cause and protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza, including prominent moments of solidarity during the 2022 World Cup, protests during the 2024 Olympics and calls by the Palestinian Olympic Committee to exclude Israel from the games. Female athletes have actively protested uniform requirements that they felt uncomfortable in because of their sexualization and tendency to cause body shaming; while pregnant women have fought against reductions in pay in their contracts.
Speaking out comes at a cost - which all of these athletes must have recognized as their statements and actions carried into homes, headlines, and social media. In a world where injustice still exists on and off the field, these athletes remind us to ask the real questions and forget the win in favor of the valuable risk.
Fatima is a New Jersey-based participant in Youth Media Forward: meet the New Jersey participants here