Analysis: as we see again and again on and off the pitch, sport and politics are deeply intertwined
There is a tradition of athletes using their playing fields as a platform to advocate for change. This activism can refer to systematic changes required within sport itself or it can relate to the wider need for political and social justice. Sport has always believed that it is a significant arena of fairness and justice and of advancement for minorities and all disempowered people.
The outright refusal to participate can be a powerful means of demonstration in sport. This week, a Champions League match was abandoned after Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir players walked off because of an alleged racist incident against Pierre Webo, Basaksehir's assistant coach.
Last Sunday's ladies football semi-final between Galway and Cork was marred by controversy over late venue changes and no warm-up sessions allowed for the players. Following this, Galway manager Tim Rabbitt expressed his regret at not instructing his players to walk off in protest at the organisational fiasco.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, report on the controvery around last weekend's All Ireland ladies football semi-final between Galway and Cork at Croke Park
Sport and politics are deeply, almost inherently, intertwined. Think about debates around nationalism and the use of flags and anthems in ceremonies that celebrate the nation-state in athletic arenas. These all relate to how sport can be used to harness a national cause and provides emotionally charged occasions for citizens to express their common identity within the nation.
The annual conversation over Derry's James McClean's refusal to wear a poppy demonstrates tensions between sport and politics in our culture. On the subject, McClean has said "if the poppy was simply about World War One and Two victims alone, I'd wear it without a problem. I would wear it every day of the year if that was the thing but it doesn’t. It stands for all the conflicts that Britain has been involved in. Because of the history where I come from in Derry, I cannot wear something that represents that."
The "taking the knee' movement became widespread in September 2016 when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first protested against racial injustice in the US by kneeling during the national anthem. Following this, many athletes joined Kaepernick in his demonstration. The gesture has transcended different sports and over the past few months, athletes around the world have been kneeling in support of Black Lives Matter and wearing the phrase on jerseys. However Kaepernick, who left the 49ers in 2017, hasn't played football since and alleges NFL collusion in denying him employment.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, The Guardian's Bryan Armen Graham on the reaction of NFL players to Donald Trump's suggestion that players should be punished for protesting
The movement of activist athletes right now with Black athletes at the centre is bigger, broader and more sustained than any form of activism among athletes that we have ever seen in sport history. Perhaps one of the most iconic images of activism in sport is two black track athletes using the 1968 Olympic winner’s podium as a platform for protest. Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood with clenched fists raised above their heads during the most sacred moment, the victory ceremony with the national anthem being played and the flag being raised.
This was not a spontaneous act but rather the product of a year-long effort of activism and mobilisation. A group of athletes who had called for Black American athletes to boycott the Olympics altogether tried to use the platform of the Olympics to call attention to the injustices that Black Americans were experiencing in the US. Their actions that day would be just one in a line of protests on the athletic stage.
The confederate flag for many is a symbol of slavery and racism that had been a familiar sight at sports events for years. Recently, many sporting bodies have taken the standpoint to ban the flags from their events. In June 2020, stock-car racing NASCAR banned the flag from its racetracks and facilities, amid social unrest following the death in police custody of black American man George Floyd. Protests roiled the US and Confederate monuments were removed across the American south, the traditional fan base for NASCAR
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From RTÉ One's Six One News, a report on the NASCAR ban on confederate flags at races and events
Nearer home, this move sparked Cork GAA to confirm that stewards would confiscate any Confederate flags brought to its grounds. Fans from the county commonly wave flags from other countries that include the colour red and Cork's nickname of 'The Rebels' may also have led to a sense of identification with the losing side in the American civil war. While American defenders of the Confederate flag maintain it is a sign of pride in Southern heritage and a symbol of rebellion, its presence represents support for slavery, as well as the subsequent racist treatment of black people, for many others.
The GAA has often been used as a platform for protest and to garner support for campaigns. In the past few years, for example, inter-county teams have showed support for the installation of a 24/7 cardiac unit in University Hospital Waterford by putting their hand on their heart during the national anthem. Although the right to health parity in the south east has become a major general election issue for candidates in the Waterford and Carlow/Kilkenny constituencies, the GAA clarified the stance taken by the counties did not breach Rule 1.11 of the GAA's Official Guide, which states that "the Association shall be non-party political."
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From RTÉ Radio One's Doc On One, Who Fears To Speak of '98? looks at the extraordinary 1998 hurling championship
The most memorable of all GAA protests occured in the aftermath of the 1998 All-Ireland semi-final between Offaly and Clare. With Clare three points up, the referee blew the whistle with only 33 minutes played in the second half. Thousands of incensed Offaly hurling fans stormed the pitch, staged an unprecedented sit-down protest and refused to move for 90 minutes. The match was replayed the following week, Offaly won and went on to take the All-Ireland title in 1998, making history as the first hurling team to lose a semi-final and then win the Liam MacCarthy.
While sport is often perceived as a respite from social issues, it is not always neutral, apolitical or colour blind. When used in a meaningful way, sport can facilitate dialogue and become a powerful medium to highlight issues that are more widespread than the sport itself.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
