The Role Athletes Play in Politics

Last month, Houston Rockets’ general manager Daryl Morey tweeted a message of support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Basketball superstar LeBron James publicly criticized Morey’s comments, believing Morey “wasn’t educated” on the topic before he made his remarks. James commented, "I think people need to understand what a tweet or statement can do to others. And I believe nobody stopped and considered what would happen” (Youngmisuk, ESPN). James felt that Morey’s tweet had serious ramifications on the relationship between China and the league, including with specific owners and players.

James’ action is one of many times that athletes have been involved in politics, using their platform to take a stance on social and political issues. This goes back decades, specifically prevalent in the late 1960s. This was a divisive time in United States history, which motivated athletes to voice their opinions against injustices, both domestic and global.

One of these athletes included Muhammad Ali, who in 1967 refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army and fight in the Vietnam war because of religious reasons. Ali felt he had no reason to fight in the war, saying, “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong” (History.com Editors, HISTORY). Just one year later, another powerful protest by athletes took place in the 1968 Summer Olympics, where sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their fists in the air while bowing their heads as a symbol of solidarity with the black power movement (Zaru, CNN). 

This type of non-verbal protest carried on into present day, more specifically in the NFL (National Football League). In 2016, Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers decided to sit, then later kneel, during the national anthem. Kaepernick carried out this protest in response to racial discrimination and police violence around the country (Hsu, The New Yorker). Kaepernick engendered a nation-wide movement of kneeling during the national anthem, from other NFL players, to athletes in other sports, to even high school players (Zaru, CNN).

Athletes’ political responses to our nation’s treatment of marginalized groups didn’t just include Kaepernick and his supporters. Ibtihaj Muhammad made history in the 2016 Olympics for being the first female Muslim American fencer to win a medal for the United States, as well as for being the first American to compete wearing a hijab. Muhammad takes pride in being Muslim, which made her publically condemn President Trump’s travel ban on migrants from seven majority Muslim countries. Muhammad, who has faced discrimination for being Muslim, said, “Unfortunately, I know that people talk about this having a lot to do with these seven countries in particular, but I think the net is cast a little bit wider than we know. And I'm included in that as a Muslim woman who wears a hijab” (Zaru, CNN). 

Muhammad is among many other athletes who have publicly condemned President Trump’s actions. In 2017, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors (basketball team from San Francisco, CA) was hesitant about attending the White House’s ceremony for the Warriors’ championship win because he did not feel the President “...respects the majority of Americans” (Lucey, NBA). In response, President Trump disinvited Curry, which prompted Lebron James to defend his fellow NBA (National Basketball Association) player. James exclaimed in a tweet directed to the President, “Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!” (Lucey, NBA). 

Not only did Stephen Curry, along with other NBA players, decide not to attend the White House ceremony, but so have athletes from other sports. Skier Lindsey Vonn said that in the 2018 Olympics she would be representing her nation, not President Trump (Clarey, The New York Times). Vonn said on her Instagram, “I am proud to be an American, and I want our country to continue to be a symbol of hope, compassion, inclusion and world unity” (Clarey, The New York Times).

Athlete involvement in social issues, especially in today’s day and age, has been a perpetual occurrence in our society. This pattern begs the question: Should athletes be involved in politics at all? Athletes are now able to speak more freely about their opinions. Not only this, but they are also encouraged to do so. There is a domino effect going on; when one athlete speaks their voice, takes a knee, or raises their fist in solidarity, others follow suit. Yes, there are risks athletes take when conducting their protests, such as Kaepernick struggling to be signed by an NFL team, and Vonn receiving hateful messages from Trump supporters. However, the consequences are not what they used to be. Coaches and owners are now much more lenient on players standing up for their beliefs. Not only this, but also the platform that social media offers these athletes enables them to reach audiences around the world (Clarey, The New York Times). 

Athletes may be athletes, but before that they are people, who have real emotions, feelings, and opinions on a variety of issues. Their influence can spark great change in society, along with inspiring youth to stand up for what they believe, whether it be in sports, school, or life as a whole. There is no reason for people to have their voices taken away strictly because they are athletes. No matter what is said by these players, there will always be criticism. This is especially true for major figures in sports, such as Lebron James. However, no amount of opposition should limit people’s voices in anything. Gerard Piqué, the star Barcelona FC (soccer team in Barcelona, Spain) defender, sums this idea up perfectly. When asked about Catalonia’s independence referendum, Piqué responded, “Politics is a drag, but why shouldn’t I express myself?” (Clarey, The New York Times). He is right — politics might be a drag, but there is no reason why people should not be able to express their views on our society and fight for the change they want to see in the world.