Colin Kaepernick's kneel down The protest was one of the most talked about political moments in sports history. For many it became a symbol of standing up against bigotry and racism, but eight years later the protests were surprisingly still valid in the English Soccer League.
For others, it represents an unwanted interruption to a medium where no activity is supposed to exist, and serves as an escape from reality.
The sports world is currently using Donald Trump's election as inspiration for dances and celebrations, but this simple act shows that politics in sports isn't going away anytime soon.
“I sing this song about the Vietnam War.”
Muhammad Ali's fight against the Vietnam War
Iconic boxer Muhammad Ali is not only one of the greatest athletes of all time in his sport, but is also often portrayed as one of the greatest activists of all time.
But many of his polarizing statements are often overlooked as memories of some of his most famous protests.
From 1967 to 1968, Ali sought exemption from the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector because of his Islamic leadership. USA Today Reported.
Ali was sentenced to five years in prison for draft evasion, but was released on bail and did not serve any time.
Video by Getty Images
Ali's boxing title was stripped by the New York State Athletic Commission and he was banned from the sport. At the same time, his opinions and even poems about his views on war became widely known.
Please keep asking me, no matter how long it takes.
I sing this song about the Vietnam War.
I have no intention of picking a fight with the Viet Cong.
However, other remarkswords especially about white people are not often said.
“You're talking to me about the draft, and all the white boys are bending their necks to go to Switzerland, Canada, London. I don't know what my blacks don't have. I'm not going to help you get even. If I do, I'll die, I'll die fighting you here. ”
“You are my enemy. My enemy is white people. Not Vietnamese, not Chinese, not Japanese,” Ali continued. [You’re] You are my opponent when I seek freedom. ”
In 1971, the Supreme Court ruled in Ali's favor, finding that his religious beliefs were sincere.
Before Kaepernick was Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.
Image courtesy of Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Just as Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali, Chris Wayne Jackson also converted to Islam and changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in accordance with black identitarianism.
In 1996, Abdul-Rauf sat through a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” more than 60 times. When asked about his decision, he reportedly said that Islamism and American nationalism do not mix.
“Islam is the only way,” he reportedly said. ESPN.
“It's also a symbol of oppression,” Abdul-Rauf said. said of the American flag. “Oppression. It depends on how you look at it. I think we have a long history of that in this country.”
The player drew mixed reviews from other NBA players, including Dennis Rodman, who said he would have been happy to stand for two minutes given the amount Abdul-Rauf is being paid.
“If you want to do that, why don't you bring your own flag and sing your own national anthem?” Rodman said.
Fellow Muslim player Hakeem Olajuwon said the flag should be respected, while Magic Johnson simply said people should not be angry at others for expressing their beliefs.
Abdul-Rauf eventually agreed to stand, but not until after receiving a two-game suspension and starting to suffer losses. Instead, players will now be able to stand and say their own personal prayers during the national anthem.
He was booed during his first appearance after being suspended.
cold war buzzer beater
At the 1972 Munich Olympics, when the Cold War was in full swing, the Soviet Union and the United States played a heated men's basketball final in front of a tense crowd.
The Americans were ready to win, or they would be humiliated upon returning home with a loss in a sport they had long dominated.
With three seconds left in the final, American Doug Collins sank two clutch free throws despite suffering a bad fall seconds earlier. This gave Team USA a 50-49 lead with three seconds left.
Then came the misfortune of a scoring table error, changing the outcome of the match from iconic to controversial.
Credit: Bettman/Getty Images
First, the Russian coaches called a timeout, but the team inbounded the ball anyway, and with one second left on the clock, the referee blew the whistle. Before the clock was properly reset to three seconds, the referee handed the ball to the Russian, who inbounded and took a desperate shot at the last moment, but it missed.
The overjoyed American team celebrated for a few minutes On the court, he rejoiced at the victory, relieving the immense pressure on his shoulders.
But officials called off the celebration, reset the clock to three seconds, and gave the Soviets another chance.
A full-court pass to Alexander Belov resulted in an easy bucket and the Soviet Union won the gold medal, 51-50. win.
Due to the apparent controversy, the American team refused the silver medal and did not appear at the match. medal ceremony.
Team captain Kenny Davis said the Americans felt the Soviets had “done something” that was illegal and didn't know how else to protest.
“They're not going to make us come get that silver medal,” he said.
The team appealed, but the Olympic jury upheld the official result in a 3-2 vote.
“It all proceeded strictly according to Cold War politics,” said Sports Illustrated writer Gary Smith. said. “There were three communist judges. It was a 3-2 vote. The United States lost. The Soviet Union won the gold medal, but at that point the American athletes faced a harsh reality. They won the silver medal. Will you accept it?”
These silver medals are currently stored in a safe. Some members of the American team are said to have written in their wills that their beneficiaries cannot claim their medals either.
World Cup Struggle Session
In 2010, North Korea's soccer team qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1966. Expectations were reasonably low until the North Korean team looked impressive in the match. 2-1 loss To Brazil, which was strong in the tournament.
Despite the defeat, the close score was so unexpected that North Korea decided to broadcast the next match against Portugal live on state television, marking the first time a sporting event had been broadcast live in the country. Ta.
This would be a terrible mistake.
Photo by Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Unfortunately, the North Korean players lost. 7-0 They defeated Portugal in the live broadcast and defeated Ivory Coast 3-0 in the final match.
The match against Portugal reportedly had a long-lasting effect on the players, who were forced to wrestle for six hours upon returning home.
According to telegraphthe entire team was brought on stage and faced criticism from the sports minister in front of 400 government officials, students and journalists.
The event was dubbed the “Great Debate” because the teams failed in their “ideological battle.”
The team's manager was reportedly expelled from the ruling party and forced to become a builder.
The only two players who avoided communist displays were Chung Dae-se and An Yong-hak. Both were born in Japan and returned to Japan immediately after the World Cup.
Even more bizarrely, North Korea is said to have released the video to the public in an attempt to change history. In a video that was allegedly broadcast, the state TV news host not only claimed that North Korea had defeated Brazil, but also claimed that “denied a rightful victory”The match against Portugal ended in a draw.
The broadcast also dubbed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo's voice, pretending that he said he was willing to play in Pyongyang because of their great fan base.
North Korean TV for the 2014 Brazil World Cup said The North Korean team defeated Japan 7-0, the United States 4-0, and China 2-0. The broadcast said that North Korea would play Portugal in the semifinals.
North Korea actually never participated in the 2014 World Cup. Neither did China.
humiliation of helmet pride
2023 has been a year of reckoning in the NHL regarding gay pride, Pride Night, and the ever-present specter of woke ideology.
Teams appeared to be tipping themselves over to outdo each other, with Pride Night festivities and pregame gay pride jerseys.
At least seven players ultimately took a stand against the practice during the 2022-2023 season, one of them being Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI, Getty Images
Did Samsonov make an official statement? Will he cross the ice carrying a cross? No, the goaltender's only crime was not wearing a rainbow decal on the back of his helmet during warm-ups.
That night, Samsonov could not even play in goal, and the Leafs team was eliminated. far beyond among them compliment Toward a lifestyle without heterosexuality.
Nevertheless, Samsonov was subjected to a ritual of humiliation by the Toronto sports media.
canadian TSN The fact that Samsonov specifically singled out the fact that he was not wearing a decal during the few minutes he was on the ice means there was likely someone in charge to check for such ethical violations.
Another report that has since been deleted MSN The Leafs claimed they had “hidden Samsonov from the media” and called Russia's actions “stupid and unnecessary” and “disappointing.”
Ultimately, at least seven NHL players refused to participate in Pride activities, leading the league to announce that each team would not wear “Pride”-themed jerseys during warmups, making the league's most It bothered some of the players who were awake.
However, there is no need to worry. It took just a week for the league to announce a new player inclusion coalition aimed at creating a “safe space” and educating about the importance of diversity and inclusion.
