Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Egypt's PM reviews debt reduction strategy, eyes more private investment    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt, India discuss expanding industrial, investment partnerships    World Bank proposes Egypt join new global health initiative    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian pound ticks down in early Tuesday trading    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt exports 175K tons of food in one week    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Opinion: More social activism in European soccer
Published in Daily News Egypt on 23 - 12 - 2017

The "take a knee" protest in American football proved that social activism is alive and well — and can't be stopped. DW's Davis VanOpdorp only wishes that was the case in European soccer.The "take a knee" protest, where American football players in the National Football League (NFL) kneel during the national anthem, had all the polarizing aspects a social activism movement should have.
Firstly, the protest had a unifying cause: police brutality against African Americans in the United States. According to statistics website ProFootballLogic, 68 percent of players in the NFL are black. But perhaps more importantly, the "take a knee" protest had the perfect antagonist: the president of the United States, Donald Trump. One speech calling the protestors "sons of bitches" and a few bombastic tweets from the former reality television star was enough to escalate the protest movement to unprecedented heights.
The defiance of these American football players in the face of criticism — which came not only from Trump but many others, including some inside the NFL — was a huge victory for social activism in sports. Colin Kaepernick, the player who started a protest in 2016, may no longer get a job in the NFL after being released by the San Francisco 49ers earlier this year, but he will have a place in history as someone who risked his professional sports career to stand up for something he believed in.
If only that were the case in soccer...
No room for activism
With the "take a knee" protest, Kaepernick became a social activist comparable to Mohammad Ali, who risked his boxing career and imprisonment when he refused to enlist during the Vietnam War. European soccer does not have that, and considering the platform these superstars have, that is a real disappointment.
While LeBron James is using his widely followed social media accounts to address social issues, Cristiano Ronaldo is sharing pictures of himself shirtless or advertising his new boots. It's not like there aren't social issues to talk about in Europe. There is a migrant crisis, Neo-Nazism, widespread racism and, in some European countries, human rights violations.
To be fair, the sport does restrict the platform with which players can raise social issues. FIFA prohibits political or religious symbols as part of uniforms during competitions, and there is a lot of gray area as to what symbols fall into that category. But there are still ways players can show defiance against things like racist or Neo-Nazi fans or stadiums built by modern slaves.
There are also certainly players who have taken a stand against something they believe in. James McClean, a player who was born the Northern Ireland city of Derry, the site of the Bloody Sunday massacre, refuses to wear the Remembrance Day poppy on his jersey, and dark-skinned players like Kevin-Prince Boateng and Mario Balotelli have walked off the field during football matches in response to racist chants, which led to new sanctions in the sport. But when it comes to Europe's elite soccer stars, most of them limit their stances on social issues to post-game interviews rather than defiant demonstrations.
Activism is limited to the corporate level in European soccer, which makes it appear artificial. Hertha Berlin's "take a knee" protest before a Bundesliga game this year was weird and out of place. UEFA's "Say No to Racism" commercials are so corporate that they look more like an advertising campaign than public service announcements.
Perhaps the platform for a social activist movement like the "take a knee" protest just isn't there in soccer. National hymns are only played during international matches, during which players are more grateful to represent their countries than prone to protest a social issue happening in them. Players in Europe also come from many different backgrounds, making it less likely for them to come together on a social issue. The only injustices players could probably unite behind are those happening in FIFA itself, and it's never easy protesting against your employer.
Nonetheless, soccer's superstars should be questioning the way the world works. As the "take a knee" protest in the United States has shown, social activism in sports can be very powerful.


Clic here to read the story from its source.