Sports & Politics Topics

Democracy Now! stories, posts and pages that relate to Sports & Politics

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  • Navratilova-collins

    Tennis Star Martina Navratilova, Among First "Out" Pro Athletes, Congratulates NBA's Jason Collins

    NBA basketball player Jason Collins swept sports headlines this week when he publicly revealed that he is gay, becoming the first professional male athlete to do so while still active in a major U.S. team sport. Collins noted that he was inspired by tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who became one of the first openly gay sports figures when she came out in 1981. Navratilova, the winner of 59 grand slam crowns and a record nine Wimbledon singles...
    May 01, 2013 | Story
  • Ali

    "The Trials of Muhammad Ali": Boxing Champ's Refusal to Serve in Vietnam Was the Fight of His Life

    In a broadcast exclusive, we air excerpts from a new documentary that examines the struggle Muhammad Ali faced in his conversion to Islam, his refusal to fight in Vietnam, and the years of exile that followed before his eventual return to the ring. Ali is considered the greatest boxer in the history of sports. When he refused to be drafted into the military and filed as a conscientious objector, he was sentenced to prison and stripped of his heavyweight...
    Apr 26, 2013 | Story
  • Headgames_football2

    As Suicides, Brain Injuries Mount, Safety of Football Questioned, from NFL to Youth Leagues

    Ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl, the safety of football is coming under increasing scrutiny as more evidence emerges about links between concussions and brain damage. President Obama recently weighed in on the issue, saying, "If I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before I let him play football." We speak to former professional wrestler Chris Nowinski, co-founder of the Sports Legacy Institute and co-director of the...
    Feb 01, 2013 | Story
  • Lance-armstrong-oprah-002-1024x682

    "The Tony Soprano of the Cycling World": Dave Zirin on Lance Armstrong's Doping Confession

    For the first time, cycling legend Lance Armstrong publicly admitted to doping last night, saying he won all seven of his record Tour de France championships with the help of performance-enhancing drugs. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey, the cyclist recounted how he abused banned substances to ensure his victories despite zealously denying allegations of doping for years. "A lot of cyclists I’ve talked to talked about drug use as if it’s...
    Jan 18, 2013 | Story
  • Manti-teo

    Notre Dame Football Faulted for Covering Up Manti Te'o Hoax While Refusing to Probe Rape Scandal

    Notre Dame’s star linebacker and team leader Manti Te’o is in the media limelight after reports have emerged that his girlfriend may never have existed — a girlfriend who allegedly died of leukemia and inspired him to become a top football player in her memory. While Notre Dame has launched a probe into the hoax, sportswriter Dave Zirin criticizes the school’s slow response to an alleged sexual assault committed by a football...
    Jan 18, 2013 | Story
  • Steubenville-rape

    Hacker Group Anonymous Leaks Chilling Video in Case of Alleged Steubenville Rape, Cover-Up

    We turn to Steubenville, Ohio, where members of a high school football team allegedly raped a female classmate and possibly urinated on her unconscious body over the course of an evening of partying in late August. The young men chronicled their actions on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. But after many in the town of Steubenville, including the high school football coach, rallied to the players’ defense, the hacker group...
    Jan 07, 2013 | Story
  • Nfl_refs

    Botched NFL Call Sparks Wide Support for Unionized Refs & Outrage at Owners' "Corporate Arrogance"

    A labor dispute between the National Football League and the union representing its referees reached a fever pitch Monday night during a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers when substitute referees failed to call pass interference before a last-second touchdown. The play ended the game in favor of the Seahawks, when many argue it should have gone the other way. The play focused attention on the NFL’s decision to use...
    Sep 26, 2012 | Story
  • Para-olympics_2012-2

    Disabled Athlete, Advocate Eli Wolff on the Overlooked Dynamism & Diversity of the Paralympic Games

    Despite being a major sporting event, the largest Paralympics in history barely made headlines over the past week despite attracting 4,200 athletes from 164 countries and selling out stadiums for every session before it even began. The U.S. host broadcaster, NBC, decided to air only four hour-long highlights packages on its sports channel, compared to its wall-to-wall coverage of the Olympics. The Paralymics were initiated by a group of British...
    Sep 10, 2012 | Story
  • Bike_protest

    Olympic Goodwill Image Belied by Arrests, Censorship and Corporate Ties Behind London Games

    While NBC has been airing wall-to-wall coverage of Olympic Games in London, little attention has been paid to what has taken place behind the scenes and just outside Olympic Park. London police arrested 182 people Friday for taking part in the monthly Critical Mass bike ride during the Olympics’ opening ceremony. Meanwhile, public outcry is growing after thousands of fans were told the Games were sold out, but prime seats reserved largely...
    Jul 31, 2012 | Story
  • Olympicsecurity

    Lockdown in London: Professor, Ex-U.S. Athlete Jules Boykoff on Olympic Censorship & Militarization

    Britain has launched its biggest peacetime security operation ever ahead of the opening of the Summer Olympics. Nearly 20,000 armed forces personnel are now providing security — almost double the number of British troops currently serving in Afghanistan. The Olympic Games are estimated to cost British taxpayers a staggering $17 billion. At the same time, Brits near the Olympic Park have been subjected to sweeping censorship laws enacted...
    Jul 26, 2012 | Story