Interviews with Athletes on Racism in Sports

Topic: Racism in Sports
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
 Interviewer: X Interviewee: Athlete 1
(Soccer player) Date conducted: June 8th, 2019
Method: In person interview
1. Background information: How long have you been in sports sector and at what level?
The player began playing at the age of 9 years on house and afterwards in non-competitive teams
in grade 10. From grade 11 onwards the athlete made a debut in competitive gold teams.
a. Have you ever experienced racism in sports carrier? If yes, how did you overcome?
No, the athlete did not face any racism in the sports career as he is a white American
b. If a child asks you what is racism? How will you explain racism to him/her?
The athlete stated that he would like to tell a child that racism is a societal phenomenon based on
discriminating the different groups of people. Being a white American he seemed to have little
concern on racism as he stated, “It is essential for identifying the supremacy”.
2.When you hear the term “racism”. What comes to your mind?
I believe that the word racism evoked the image of the black tribesmen from Africa. The word
specifically evoked the different cultural dimensions and the manner in which the same might
affect the rate of understanding of the people. On the other hand, the rate of differentiation is
again an important phenomenon that would affect the indulgence of the people in the different
fields.
a. What you know about the terms:

i)White supremacy: White supremacy is specifically based on identifying the whites as te
superior race based on the biases.
ii) Anti-blackness: The term anti- blackness is a radical thought process which evokes the need
of isolating the blacks and disrupting their connections with the modern world. The athlete stated
that the phenomenon have nothing to do with liberal thought process.
3.. If you have ever passed through the phase of racism how did it triggered your
psychological level?
“I did not face any racism events in my career or my life”
4.. Did you ever share your experience about racism with your teammates? If yes, what was
their reaction?
“I used to share my experience with my teammates but they felt reluctant to believe about my
experience on racism.” The athlete also stated that as he did not face any racist activity, being a
white American, the team members tend not to trust the experience that was shared by the
athlete.
5. If you never have had the experience of racism. Have you heard about this from someone
else and explain what problems were faced by them?
“I believe they feel isolated. However, I myself cannot empathize on their problems as I did not
face them myself. The most intriguing experience that was shared by one of my teammate
reflected the level of frustration that was encountered by the same”
6. Suppose you are a famous basketball player and one of your team members is being
teased and criticized by the other team member. What would you do?

“Can’t tell about basketball. But, if you insist me on empathizing, I would rather get off the court
and get that person on his knees before me. I don’t prefer teasing activities and I dislike
suppression. I would not tolerate this kind of activity.”
7. As, you know there has been always bias based on skin color. What would you like to
comment on this?
“Apparently, I believe that the basis of discrimination should be talent itself and not the skin
color. However, I also believe to go by the traditions that are already being benchmarked and I
think all should follow their positions in the same.”
8. Have you ever seen, or self witnessed any group member excluded from the team due to
any means of inferiority like, race, ethnic group, financial support, disability?
“No, I haven’t witnessed any such events in my lifetime or career.”
a. If yes, what strategy did they/you applied to come back in the team?
“I have no idea on the strategies that might be employed. You know, I haven’t faced such a
situation and I cannot empathize on the same until I face one similar situation myself.”
9.Do you think global racism is getting better or worse?
“I believe that globalization is the key aspect which developed the rate of racism while closely
knitting different people from diverse racial backgrounds. It is worsening due to the clashes
which might again result to drastic loss on both sides of the peril”
a. What do you think should be done to improve race issues?
“I believe proper communication between the members from the different races would support in
minimizing the racial conflicts.”
10. Why in this 21st century still racism is been witnessed? Do you think racism will ever go
way?

“No, it has become a global phenomenon which cannot be erased that easily.”

 Interviewer: X Interviewee: Athlete 2
(Basketball player) Date conducted: June 8th,
2019 Method: In person interview
1. Background information: How long have you been in sports sector and at what level?
The player have been playing since the age of 6 years on house and afterwards in the competitive
state levels.
a. Have you ever experienced racism in sports carrier? If yes, how did you overcome?
Yes, the athlete did face a racism based activity in the sports career as he was a non- dweller of
US. The athlete stated, “I was oppressed in my team and my own team members looked down on
me. However, I won over their confidence through my performance in the team.” The athlete
also added, “I collaborated with my team members on field which again supported me in wining
over their trust. ”
b. If a child asks you what is racism? How will you explain racism to him/her?
The athlete stated that he would like to tell the child that racism is a phenomenon which is being
enforced on the natives with the objective of suppressing their existence and providing equal
opportunities to the same. Being a black himself he considered racism as, “the white’s way of
showcasing their supremacy”.
2.When you hear the term “racism”. What comes to your mind?
I believe that the word racism evoked the image of deprived isolated poor beings who are
constantly deprived in the different opportunities depending on their skin color, background and
history.
a. What you know about the terms:

i)White supremacy: White supremacy is the way of the white’s in portraying themselves in the
front of the world as superior beings.
ii) Anti-blackness: The term anti- blackness is a radical thought process which the athlete
believed as a radical way of isolating the deserving blacks on the basis of skin color. The athlete
stated that the phenomenon is just the acronym of liberal thoughts.
3.. If you have ever passed through the phase of racism how did it triggered your
psychological level?
“I did face a diverse range of racism events in my career. I felt bad and frustrated at the
beginning. However, I believe I had a large amount of patience to hang on to my career with the
objective of proving my worth against all odds”
4.. Did you ever share your experience about racism with your teammates? If yes, what was
their reaction?
“I used to share my experience with my American teammates but they did not feel any genuine
feeling towards the atrocities that I faced.” The athlete added, “I have been in the sports industry
with the objective of providing my worth, where at times I felt that I am preaching fools” Again,
the athlete also recollected, “My grooming and my background was always questioned which I
neglected with an aspiration for growth”.
5. If you never have had the experience of racism. Have you heard about this from someone
else and explain what problems were faced by them?
“My own experience was enough for me to understand the pain of isolation in the name of
racism. I never undertook any conversation with anyone in this matter”
6. Suppose you are a famous basketball player and one of your team members is being
teased and criticized by the other team member. What would you do?