Sports activities stars endorse presidential campaigns and federal insurance policies stir controversy.
From presidential marketing campaign rhetoric and endorsements to males in feminine sports activities, 2024 has been an eventful 12 months for the intersection of politics and sports activities.
Anticipate the connection between the political and sports activities arenas to proceed in 2025, particularly with President-elect Donald Trump again within the White Home.
“I don’t see a lot change. I might see how sports activities league champions won’t go to the White Home once more, particularly within the NBA,” conservative commentator Chris Tremoglie informed The Epoch Occasions. “I might say most likely solely the NBA and perhaps WNBA. I feel different leagues would go.”
Beneath are the highest sports activities and politics tales from the previous 12 months.
Sports activities Stars Come Out for Trump and Harris
Some representatives of the broad world of sports activities endorsed President-elect Donald Trump, whereas others threw their assist behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
“As a coach and former participant, as a husband, a son, a father, even a grandfather, and as an American, I imagine in a sure type of management. I imagine that leaders should show dignity. I imagine that leaders should inform the reality,” he stated.
Kerr then copied the gesture Warriors famous person Stephen Curry makes towards the opposite group when he makes a shot to clinch a recreation: placing his arms in conjunction with his head as if he’s going to sleep.
“After the outcomes are tallied that evening, we are able to, within the phrases of the good Steph Curry, we are able to inform Donald Trump, ‘Night time, evening,’’” stated Kerr.
“That is about preserving hope and perception in our nation. Ensuring households will be taken care of throughout essentially the most valuable instances,” he stated.
“Donald Trump, he is aware of success, and he is aware of what it takes to make America nice once more,” stated Brown. ”And to be actual, we’ve got all skilled highs and lows. Particularly me, in my profession as a Tremendous Bowl champion and life as a father to seven superb youngsters.”
“I feel it’s an vital time,” he later informed the press, declining to enter element about why he sported the enduring hat.
Title IX Stays a Focus
Title IX stays a flashpoint within the controversy surrounding males taking part in in feminine sports activities.
In April, the Biden administration interpreted Title IX to incorporate transgender athletes, by stating that discrimination below that legislation contains discrimination based mostly on “gender identification.”
New federal steering prohibits discrimination on the idea of gender in education schemes that get federal taxpayer {dollars}.
A number of groups in girls’s sports activities have additionally forfeited video games towards opposing groups with transgender gamers.
Sports activities Betting Takes Senate Highlight
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a Dec. 17 listening to concerning the world of sports activities betting.
Witnesses included NCAA President and former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, former NFL participant Johnson Bademosi, former Assistant Legal professional Common David Rebuck, playing therapist Harry Levant, and Nationwide Council on Drawback Playing Government Director Keith Whyte.
One of many points surrounding the matter is the harassment athletes obtain for not fulfilling the bets of gamblers.
“Scholar athletes publicly revealed they get calls for for cash from sad batters for trivial issues that don’t impression the outcome on the sphere,” stated Baker.
“Many have obtained loss of life threats from bettors, and so they additionally obtain different in-person threats and accusations directed at them whereas they’re leaving or coming onto the sphere of play.”
Baker requested Congress to cross laws banning prop betting on faculty sports activities and to “strengthen sport leagues’ talents to analyze integrity points.”
He additionally referred to as on “federal authorities to do extra to crack down on black market betting websites.”
Trump Seems at Soccer Video games Throughout Marketing campaign
Throughout the marketing campaign, Trump appeared at quite a few soccer video games.
The earlier month, Trump attended a recreation between the College of Alabama and the College of Georgia in Alabama, the place Trump loved broad assist. There, he tossed a number of bins of rooster tenders right into a crowd of followers.
Former Athletes Run for Congress
Three former skilled athletes, all Republicans, unsuccessfully ran for Congress, although one nearly crossed the end line.
Los Angeles Dodgers icon Steve Garvey misplaced to Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who obtained 58.9 p.c of the vote in California, for the U.S. Senate race.
In Minnesota, former NBA participant Royce White misplaced to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who obtained 56.3 p.c of the vote in one other Senate race.
In the meantime, former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault, a Republican, misplaced to Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District by simply 2,706 votes because the latter received 50.3 p.c of the vote, whereas the previous obtained 49.7 p.c.