Sports and politics will forever be mixed
We all have social concerns wanting to be addressed but since we’re just ordinary living things, we lean towards people whom we consider to have the influence to get our voices heard. Athletes usually lend their voices and when these sports stars use common platforms to raise awareness to issues, people listen and take action, either with approval or hostility.
Sports is never immune to political influence. Team owners almost always have solid connections to politicians, who in turn cater to fans having their own political views and opinions. Sports draw breath in a political world.
The sad thing is that during conflicts, sports becomes a casualty, particularly the athletes. The current dispute between Russia and Ukraine made sports a collateral damage with games as well as athletes boycotting scheduled tournaments. Ukranian athletes specifically either took arms and enlisted in the reserve armed forces or volunteered for various duties to help their soldiers fighting the frontlines.
The Olympics as well is politicized. Hitler used the 1936 Berlin Games to show the superiority of the Aryan race and his ideologies but Jessie Owens, an African-American, won 4 gold medals beating the Germans in their home turf. 11 Israeli atheltes were kidnapped and killed by Palestinian terrorists during 1972 Munich Games. 66 countries, led by the US, boycotted 1980 Moscow Games in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It was the Soviet Union’s turn to boycott the 1984 LA Games with 13 other Eastern Bloc countires and their allies.
We don’t have to go far with politics drop-kicking sports on the butt. Right in our backyard, one track and field star who’s ranked among the wolrd’s top five in his event, is deprived by the sporting agency he belongs to, of representing our country in the coming SEA Games and possibly the Asian Games. Wisdom behind the non-inclusion, only the talking heads of the NSA can fathom. A sure podium finish denied for our country
At no way can there be a separation between sports and politics, with the number of sports personalities now holding positions in government, be it appointive or elective. Sports people have played a role in the distribution and use of power and happy and blessed are those who are in their good graces.
This is the season to be jolly and generous and we notice the several fun runs, fun rides, fun games and whatever ‘funs’ there may be with jerseys and shirts printed with someone’s name and face. Sports equipment are given away and playing courts refurbished with the names of the suddenly benevolent prominently displayed.
We say ‘just play the game’? Yeah, right. Politics is a vicious and unforgiving game and whether we like it or not, sports is well blended into it. We’ll just learn how to deal with it.
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