Athletes Have Conviction?

Athletes have conviction after all.

No, not of the felonious kind, but of the political kind.

I know, shocking.

Michael Jordan started this trend of mega-athlete-slash-pitchman-with-no-political-backbone way back when famously remarking, "Republicans buy shoes too."

He was responding to questions about why he didn't support notoriously racist Senator Strom Thurmond's opponent.

His heir apparent Tiger Woods has taken this to the nth degree, refusing to take any position at all on anything. Of course Tiger is quick to take umbrage at those whom he perceives to cross the racial lines (Fuzzy Zoeller) and pardon those he likes (Kelly Tilghman), but he keeps himself above the fray.

It's nice, then, to see athletes like Joey Cheek take a stand for something they believe in.


Cheek was the speedskater who won a couple of medals at the Turin Winter Olympics and then promptly donated his bonus to Right to Play, a charity organization designed to help disadvantaged children the world over.

He then went on to co-found Team Darfur, a collection of Olympic athletes dedicated to raising awareness about the thorny situation in Darfur.


Cheek was supposed to go to China for the Olympic Games to help with this awareness (China is a huge investor in Sudan, and some see that as enabling the continuing atrocities in Darfur).

And, of course, in fulfilling it's promise to keep the Games open and free, China yanked his visa hours before he was supposed to leave (this after shutting off internet access to journalists for sites the government deemed "inappropriate").

See Joey, the Olympics are all about making sure people have free access to thoughts, ideas, and expression regardless of what the government thinks of them.

Now shut your mouth and stay home.

After all, people with no human rights make Nikes too.



LINKS

ESPN: Cheek Balances Sports With Activism
LAT: Cheek Visa Revoked