“Stick to sports.” That’s a nauseating barb we hear often at Bloody Elbow.
Plenty of media outlets and personalities do just that, every day. But many others recognize that sports and politics are intrinsically linked. And many athletes over the years (and today — see: Ashlynn Dunbar) have refused to stick to sports and have instead used their platforms to push for meaningful change in the pursuit of equality and justice.
An iconic athlete who never shied away from voicing — and fighting for — what he believed in was Muhammad Ali; one of the greatest boxers to ever live.