Racism in Sports in American and Another Country

When sport is practiced between various ethnic groups it leads to the feeling of stranger-hood, especially among minorities and other discriminated groups. It is in this way that racism finds itself in sports. With time there has been consistent efforts to confront racism and its different forms. Racism was best defined as a global inferiority and superiority hierarchy on the human line and one that has been culturally, economically and politically reproduced (Ramon). The critical race theory, is a viewthat helps challenge racism inequalities in the society and has been used as an antiracism theory in sports. There have been multiple racisms forms in sport. One of the most commonly described being racial abuse. Gardiner (2003) defined racial abuse as a dehumanizing practice where the victim is both objectified and reconstructed according to the day to day fantasies and myths. Although, racial abuse is the most rampant, it isn’t the only racism form in sports, other racism forms are also present in other diverse forms and are experienced in the print media, in boardrooms, in television, on the pitch and in the sidelines. While racism is a serious issue, it has multiple times been put down and ranted as being just part of the game. This isn’t the case.

This paper aims at explaining race and racism through a review of literature with the aim of achieving a more effective antiracist society. The critical race theory is utilized to survey the ideas that underlie contemplations of racist’s behaviors.

Introduction

Just as widespread arguments regarding racial differences and racism have contributed to several racist beliefs regarding various individual abilities in sports, so have several similar arguments contributed to specific race explanations in the sociology of sport. Specifically, there has been the advancement of common points of view precisely that sport; is conservative and it plays a part in consolidating racism, patriotism and nationalism, it possesses some characteristic properties that makes it an instrument that enable harmonious race relations and also incorporates integration, it is a kind of cultural politics that has been key to the imperialism in various parts of the word, it has been a contributor to the unique political fights that ethnic minorities including blacks have been victims of, it has produced prejudices, myths and stereotypes regarding ethnic minorities that have been a contributor to both underrepresentation and discrimination of ethnic minorities in specific sports.

The existence of these opinions might have contributed to several sociological arguments that have their basis within certain cultural, political and social thoughts. Specifically, such explanations have made a contribution to a better understanding of the sport and racism on specific three ways. 1. They have underlined how institutional racism transpires in sports. 2. How racism comes up in sports. 3. Have given insight that a sociological theory can be used to explore racism in sports. It is the existence of sociological arguments and prevalent opinions that have led to my sociological imagination that, through a review of literature, race and racism can be given thought and also through the critical race theory racist behaviors and the consequences that antiracism brings can both be explained.

Review of literature

Racism in sports has been a phenomenon over a long period of time and one which has drawn much attention among scholars both nationally and internationally. Scholar, Back et al. (1998) specifically asserted that sports arenas have provided one of the most vulnerable avenues in which racism has been seen openly. It is in this view that the concept of racism in sport has been subject to a wide and varied debate among policy makers, in the larger sports community and in the media (Kevin). In recent times scholars have studied sports, ethnicity and racism with the aim of analyzing racism and possibly eliminate it through the adoption of antiracism tendencies and behaviors. (Jarvie 1991) argues, that racism in sports arenas and as a concept has multiple problems. The scholar attributes, the success that black sport women and men have experienced in sports activities throughout the world, such as the seven gold medals that athletes from Kenya attained in the Rio Olympics to racism. Jarvie argues that when minorities perceive that they are discriminated against, they tend to work extra hard to beat the odds. Stam, Shohat and Mercer (1994) on the same issue note that the high achievements, may be due to the fact that positive stereotype possess negative consequences. Where racism may be seen to be having some positive consequence, this may not be the case. Instead, when black women and men excel in different sports, individual of non-minority backgrounds may want to know why what was once seemingly an inferior race is now outperforming a superior one. This is a crucial factor that may further escalate racism as they would want to maintain the former status quo.

Some scholars have supported the practice of antiracism behaviors. They have specifically through their studies demonstrated the growth of antiracists tendencies by demonstrating that racism is on the decline. Scholars and sport enthusiast Guha(1997) and Bairner (1996), specifically explored the issue. Supporting antiracist tendencies, they argued that compared to the other societal examples such as politics, sports is fairly free from racism enjoying a substantial degree of quality and democratization. A conspicuous illustration of antiracism on play. This has positive values as all races get involved in sporting activities, enabling the interchange of ideas and abilities amongst different races. Cashmore (1982), Maguire (1991), Howe (1976) performed a qualitative research on racism in English football concentrating on antiracist tendencies amongst the players. Although the study has been criticized for concentrating on top-level black players only. The study forms a great basis for proving that antiracist tendencies are on the rise in these teams. Black players specifically acknowledged that they have recently been allowed to take part in these teams as opposed to the earlier days and that the pitch is now more minority friendly. Although this study seems promising, Hoberman, 1997 criticizes it stressing that more studies at lower level teams are crucial if racism as a concept in sports is to be followed as it is in reality. He asserts that this is crucial as race relation realities could be more real at lower sports levels than the top polished levels owing to its less nature.

Horne (1996) Echoed the necessity of investigating racism in low level sport stating that this may be helpful in understanding the diverse forms of identification and attachment to sports by black players as understanding their everyday sports culture could be important as far as combining and transforming racists attitudes. He added that examination of different soccer levels is crucial if ethnic minority involvement in sports are to be appreciated and understood better. It is clear from this literature review that racism is a crucial issue and if the society is to develop an antiracists culture, then it has to be adapted by everyone to prevent the negative consequences of racism.

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