Over the past few years, there have been many debates over the impact of race on equality and performance in athletics. Discrimination in sports is a highly prevalent practice and many people have observed that there is either an underrepresentation or overrepresentation of different racial groups depending on the specific activity. These differences are observable in both professional sport consortiums and college athletics. The reasons for this differential treatment can be explained by physiological and socioeconomic factors, but these reasons should not be used as an excuse. It is imperative for racial equality to be achieved in all sports; however, we must first understand the current contributions to inequality to come up with a viable solution.
On April 8, 2013 News One reported that “former Fox Sports executive Jerry Davis is suing the network for being denied a promotion and for later being fired because he is Black” (Manuel-Logan, 2013). Davis had worked for the network for approximately fifteen years and was passed over for a promotion that he desired several times. When he left for disability leave, the company decided to terminate him without compensation. According to Fox Sports employment statistics, there are 24 high level jobs available at the company and not one of these employees is black; this has been the case for the past 19 years, which is as long as Davis’ former division has existed. It is interesting to observe that discrimination in sports exists within the entire field, affecting even high level executives that don’t participate in the sports themselves.
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According to UCLA researcher Jane Margolis, racial discrimination in sports is a direct consequence of socioeconomic issues. In “Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race, and Computing”, she claims that historically, African American and Caribbean Americans have had limited access to resources that would allow them to excel in their respective fields. Although her book specifically discusses racial discrimination in the sport of swimming, her findings can be applied to many similar situations in other sports. Margolis’ book specifically discusses how people of color have been negatively affected historically and presently by “inadequate access to swimming facilities and lessons” (Margolis, 2010). Although she states that there are some different physiological characteristics between members of different races, these differences are minor and fail to contribute to anything but a stereotypical mindset. Furthermore, she refers to the idea that people foster the idea racial discrimination because they are taught to think less of members of different races. It was extremely unfair for Jerry Davis to be released from his executive position at Fox Sports. Although it is likely that many people will claim he is just trying to use the “race card” to benefit from an unfortunate situation, there is clear evidence against the company in this matter. It is important to find ways to make situations like this more apparent before they escalate; if someone has knowledge that a sports company is treating their employee unfairly on the basis of race, they should take immediate action.
In his 2008 article, “Racial discrimination in American professional sports”, Marcus Brooks discusses the history of racism in sports in the United States. In one section, he analyzes a racist even that occurred as a result of actions conducted by members of The Celtics during the 1970’s. During this time period, the team had a member named Bill Russell who was an 11 time NBA champion and happened to be black. Despite his success, Russell’s teammates were determined to make his life miserable, purely on the basis of his race. Fortunately this negative behavior annoyed the coach, Red Auerbach, who ensured that Russell would receive fair treatment at restaurants and feel like a part of the team despite the malevolence of his teammates. This is an example of how good coaches should behave when they are faced with instances of racial discrimination. In order for the team to know they shouldn’t either be racist or at least behave as if they are not, the coach needs to set a good example for his players and set consequences if his desires are not met.
According to Duke University’s review of a 2010 report by Adrian Bejan published in the International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, black people tend to have a higher center of mass which contributes to their ability to perform better in sports that require running. Therefore, there is actually physiological evidence that black people are better athletes to some extent. Due to their torso dimensions, black people have bodies that are naturally suited for running, while white people are naturally suited for swimming. Since there is real scientific evidence that black people are better at certain athletic sports, it is interesting that racism against ethnic athletes still exists. It is possible that white athletes are jealous or were raised with a racist mindset; however, this is not an excuse to continue with these detrimental practices.
In conclusion, it is important to achieve racial equality in sports. Even though a lot of modern athletes are black, they still suffer from racist remarks and ideals. At the executive level, Jerry Davis was unable to get a promotion or keep his job because of the color of his skin. At the player level, Bill Russell was treated unfairly by his teammates even though he has a proven track record of success in the sport. Excuses for racial discrimination in sports include physiological and socioeconomic factors, such as the body type typical of black players and the belief that racially diverse groups are unable to have access to the same resources as the majority. It is imperative that we get past the notion of African American and Caribbean American players being somehow unequal to other races in the sports world. Hopefully, we will be able to achieve this goal in the near future and achieve real unity that one would expect to see amongst teammates.
- Brooks, Marcus. (2008). Racial discrimination in American professional sports. Helium. Retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/1179716-racial-discrimination-in-american-professional-sports
- Duke University. (2010). For Speediest Athletes, It’s All in the Center of Gravity. Pratt School of Engineering. Retrieved from http://www.pratt.duke.edu/news/speediest-athletes-its-all-center-gravity
- Manuel, L. (2013). Fired African American Executive Sues Fox Sports Over Race Discrimination. News One. Retrieved from http://newsone.com/2363765/jerry-davis-fox- sports-race-discrimination/
- Margolis, J. (2010). Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race, and Computing. Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
- Woods, R.B. (2006). Social Issues in Sport. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.
