WORLDWIDE INFLUENCE

How world events have once again wedged athletes between protests & bans

How world events have once again wedged athletes between protests & bans
Houston athletes acted in protest of social injustice. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images.

Although it’s catching criticism from governing bodies that believe sports should be above politics and pundits who admonish athletes to "shut up and dribble," Wimbledon is right to ban Russian players from participating this year.

Sports has a moral obligation to stand against Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

How can world stage athletes remain silent when Russian soldiers are bombing hospitals and train stations, kidnapping Ukrainian children and shooting innocent mothers and grandparents and leaving their bodies lying in the street? It’s a collateral but necessary penalty, Russian athletes can’t be part of the global sports community.

In 1936, Adolf Hitler intended the Olympic Games in Berlin as a showcase for white supremacy. Jesse Owens shattered Hitler’s scheme by winning four gold medals in track. Hitler refused to shake Owens’ hand, reportedly saying, “Do you really think that I will allow myself to be photographed shaking hands with a Negro?” Whether he said those words or not, he did refuse to touch Owens’ hand.

One of the reasons supposedly behind Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian players is a fear that a Russian may win the title. Two of the Top 10 players, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are Russian. If either won, there would be a photo of a British Royal handing a trophy to a Russian, which the Kremlin could use as propaganda. After Medvedev won the U.S. Open last year, Russian president Vladimir Putin boasted, “This is how real champions play!”

Athletes are admired and charismatic figures with worldwide influence. Perhaps the best example of an athlete swaying American politics and effecting world change happened 55 years ago this week in Houston.

On April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, refused induction into the U.S. Army at the Military Entrance Procession Station off San Jacinto Street in downtown Houston. Ali was arrested, stripped of his title and banned from boxing for the next three years. His act of civil disobedience however fortified the anti-Vietnam War movement.

Ali said, “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?"

There are other cases when Houston athletes acted in protest of social injustice. In October 2017, most of the Houston Texans took a knee during the national anthem after team owner Bob McNair said, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.” McNair later denied that he was talking about his players.

In 2020, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, several Houston Texans, including head coach Bill O’Brien, took a knee during the national anthem to protest police actions against people of color.

“Yeah, I’ll take a knee – I’m all for it,” O’Brien said. “The players have a right to protest, a right to be heard, and a right to be who they are. They’re not taking a knee because they’re against our flag. They’re taking a knee because they haven’t been treated equally in this country for over 400 years.”

Russian tennis players are in a tough spot. If they speak out against their country and president, they and their families might face reprisals back home. If they don’t take a stand against the Russian invasion, they’ll be seen as supportive of Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina puts it bluntly, “If players don’t speak up against the Russian government, then it is the right thing to ban them.”

Russian star Rublev said the Wimbledon ban is “total discrimination.” Perhaps he should tell Putin that bombing a shelter for women and children is total indiscrimination.

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The Texans will look to get back on track this Sunday against the Colts. Composite Getty Image.

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are looking for answers after their passing game couldn’t get going in a loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Houston’s passing attack had been a strength all season, and the Texans ranked fifth in yards passing per game through their first six games. But on Sunday at Lambeau Field, Stroud was limited to a career-low 86 yards in the 24-22 loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak.

Stroud was 10 of 21 and didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The second-year player was under duress for much of the day and was sacked four times and hit seven other times.

“We have to go back to the drawing board and see what those issues were,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “As we watch the film, we’ll see what happened, starting for me the communication and just guys being on the details of the job.”

The Texans scored a season-high 41 points in a win over New England a week earlier in which Stroud threw a season-best three touchdown passes despite being without star receiver Nico Collins.

They were unable to replicate that success Sunday with Collins out for the second of at least four games after a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve.

Stefon Diggs led the team with five receptions against the Packers, but they only amounted to 23 yards. Tank Dell, who the Texans expected to step up with Collins out, was targeted four times but didn’t have a catch.

Stroud discussed the importance of getting Dell more involved in the offense.

“We have to find a way to try and get him the rock early and often and then go from there,” he said. “It has to be a focus for us, not only just him, but the whole offense clicking early. That is really my job to get the ball out on time and to where it is supposed to go. So yeah, that definitely has to be fixed.”

Ryans spoke about his confidence is getting Dell going.

What's working

The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their last two games after they hadn’t caused any in their previous three games.

Houston scored 16 points off three turnovers Sunday. The Texans had two interceptions and recovered a fumble on a punt. In their win over the Patriots, they scored 17 points off a season-high four turnovers.

What needs help

The Texans won’t get to where they want to be this season if Stroud doesn’t get back on track. Before Sunday, last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year was averaging more than 262 yards passing a game, giving the team confidence that the problems in the passing game are fixable.

Ryans knows the line must give Stroud more time to throw and said the coaching staff will focus on improving in that area this week.

Stock up

RB Joe Mixon continued to shine Sunday in his second game back after missing three games with an ankle injury. Mixon, who is in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati, had 25 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay.

Mixon is confident the Texans will rebound this week if they quit making mistakes.

“Does it look I’m worried? I’m not worried at all,” he said. “Like I said, we got a ... good football team. At the end of the day, we are our own worst enemy.”

Stock down

Dell was unable to help Stroud get the passing game going. The second-year player had a solid rookie season with 709 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in 11 games before breaking his leg. But he hasn’t been able to build on that success this year and has just 194 yards receiving with one score in six games.

Injuries

LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) all missed Sunday’s game and it’s unclear if any of these starters can return this week.

Key number

3 — Safety Calen Bullock had his third interception Sunday to tie Dunta Robinson and Jumal Rolle for most interceptions by a rookie in franchise history through the first seven games. He leads NFL rookies in interceptions this season and is tied for third-most among all players.

Next steps

The AFC South-leading Texans (5-2) return to division play Sunday when they host the second-place Colts (4-3), who have won two in a row and four of five.

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