Politics And Sport

[Gethelred]

Pretty much everything in sport beyond the sport itself then must be political.

Even the sport itself - depending on the nature of it - reflects the wider society around it; what is valued versus what is not.

An awful lot of airtime/column space/bandwidth has been expended discussing the Australian 'Hard but fair' mindset in a cricketing context since Cam Bancroft used a piece of sandpaper on a cricket ball at Newlands. Our response to getting caught (and the then captain's admittance that it was planned in the changerooms) spoke significantly of what is purported to be Australian values and how that behaviour failed them.

It's also a little interesting the reaction to the bans since has been equally mixed, and that mix of reactions is to an extent is at least predicated on your political position; there's an awful lot of right wingers/conservatives who firmly believe the bans were a travesty, out of proportion, etc.

AFL is firmly a working class sport; at least, its foundations were. You can see what was valued from the very beginnings of the thing; it was less about size or skill or height or weight or strength than it was about will. I'm going to get the ball first, and you aren't going to want to get in the way. It's only in the era of professionalism that has seen those principles diluted some - via the change in the HTB rule, making pulling the ball in or diving on it without attempt at disposal a free against - and those rules has met criticism from people whose wordage is usually 'that just isn't football'.

One could absolutely project Australia's progress and history as a nation reflected through the lens of AFL. You can absolutely see what we value in our attitude to the national cricket team; you can see the interstate rivalries in both the State of Origin and the interstate sides against Vic, or the old protestant/catholic stuff in AFL.

Sport is but a reflection of society. If society is political, then sport - from its roots and rules to its aesthetic and stadiums - as a consequence absolutely has to be.

 

[Cmarsh]

Right on topic:

Australian women's cricketer Ash Gardner doesn't like the upcoming match of 26 Jan.

Cricket Australia responds after Indigenous star Ash Gardner says playing on January 26 'doesn't sit well'

Cricket Australia says it supports Ashleigh Gardner's stance after the all-rounder criticised the decision to schedule a game on "a day of hurt and a day of mourning" for Indigenous Australians.

www.abc.net.au

CA are holding their stance and playing on the date, citing an "ongoing education opportunity". Even CA's own Indigenous Advisory committee approved the go ahead.

Think she should just stand down for the game and not play.

 

[the_interloper]

Right on topic:

Australian women's cricketer Ash Gardner doesn't like the upcoming match of 26 Jan.

Cricket Australia responds after Indigenous star Ash Gardner says playing on January 26 'doesn't sit well'

Cricket Australia says it supports Ashleigh Gardner's stance after the all-rounder criticised the decision to schedule a game on "a day of hurt and a day of mourning" for Indigenous Australians.

www.abc.net.au

CA are holding their stance and playing on the date, citing an "ongoing education opportunity". Even CA's own Indigenous Advisory committee approved the go ahead.

Think she should just stand down for the game and not play.

Yeah I feel like Aus Day sport might be taboo in the next few years (if it isn't already), I feel CA probably won't schedule a women's match then next year.

 

[evolved2]

Why do people confuse "drawing the line at different points" with hypocrisy?

These decisions are made based on individual situations that are materially different.

We played Afghanistan in the T20 world cup yet refuse to tour. How is that individual situation materially different?

 

[Blue1980]

We played Afghanistan in the T20 world cup yet refuse to tour. How is that individual situation materially different?

If we are still principled in this, that means we wont play the in the World Cup in India later in the year. I think there is 0% chance of that and they just pulled out of this tour because they couldn't be bothered.

 

[evolved2]

If we are still principled in this, that means we wont play the in the World Cup in India later in the year. I think there is 0% chance of that and they just pulled out of this tour because they couldn't be bothered.

We could still take a stand by going to India and pulling out of any game against Afghanistan.

Will we do that?

 

[the_interloper]

We could still take a stand by going to India and pulling out of any game against Afghanistan.

Will we do that?

Exactly, that's what shit me about cancelling the Afghanistan tour, they did it because they could, without financial repercussions. I mean it's smart but I don't think you can claim to be taking a moral stance if it's essentially fiscally related anyway.

 

[Schneebly11]

We could still take a stand by going to India and pulling out of any game against Afghanistan.

Will we do that?

After what's come out in recent years re War crimes in Afghanistan by Australian Special Forces it's the Afghanis who should consider boycotting matches against Australia.