Olympians this year made headlines not for their incredible athletic feats or victories but for the obstacles standing in their way.
World Athletics, the international sports governing body, barred two Namibian women from running in various races because of their “natural high testosterone level,” the Namibia National Olympic Committee said.
Republican lawmakers chastised hammer thrower Gwen Berry for facing away from the US flag.
The US Anti-Doping Agency announced a 30-day ban for American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson after she tested positive for marijuana use, despite little evidence that the substance has a measurable impact on performance.
And the aquatic sports governing body banned the use of a swim cap designed to accommodate natural Black hair.
These incidents, sports historians say, underscore the deep racism and sexism rooted in the Olympics.
And there is a problem with this? I think we should be banning the black woman that turned her back to the flag and national anthem.
The author of this fable is Yelena Dzhanova. It was published on the authoritative and respected journal Yahoo. Well published by Yahoo; the authoritative and respected journal part is bilge. She graduated 2 years ago from a NYC liberal college as a journo major and is a professional scold wringing her hands about womynz issues. Just to scratch the surface of her errors in this piece:
Sprinter Richardson used a prohibited drug. It’s illegal in the US, and prohibited by the Olympics and US track bodies. She said since Oregon doesn’t prosecute she thought she was ok to use it. Fast runner; slow learner!
Hammer thrower Berry made the Olympic team’s 3rd slot. Hasn’t been banned, but has attracted a lot of negative attention for her immature acting out on the podium during the playing of the US National Anthem, which of course is ‘the official song’ of the country she wants to represent in Tokyo. Poor, poor her.
Issues with hormone levels are not new. Think back to controversies about the black female athletes from East Germany and Russia during the Cold War. Oops; they weren’t black; they were white.
The swim cap issue is being framed as racist because most prospective users choose fuller hairstyles that don’t fit as easily under the permitted caps. It’s a newer item and a couple of swimmers with ‘natural’ hair want to use it. Swimming has tight restrictions on anything that might aid performance because the swimmers themselves are so close in their performances. This cap has a different shape while worn and it might or might not aid the swimmer. The actual solution for swimmers is a shorter hairstyle to enable a more streamlined shape. In 2008 Phelps wore a whole body suit; they were banned in 2010 despite his white skin.
Tempest in a tea cup all-around. Get a real problem!
Totally absolutely agree!
They need to concern themselves with the race at hand in their agenda on the track, etc. Not speaking of color on every thing going on nowadays. Sick of it.
The Olympics are coming? I didn’t know!
(snicker snicker)
The old race card is getting old and terribly worn.
We should just award them the gold medals just because they’re black.
That would be in line with everything else.
You get the promotion because your black even though you’re incompetent.
You get the contract because your black, even though it was not competitive
You get the TV show because you’re black, even though NOBODY watches.