Why has 'taking a knee' failed as athlete activism?
Article
Article Title | Why has 'taking a knee' failed as athlete activism? |
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ERA Journal ID | 123149 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Radavoi, Ciprian N and Bromdal, Annette |
Journal Title | International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics |
Number of Pages | 8 |
Year | 2025 |
Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
ISSN | 1940-6940 |
1940-6959 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2025.2515165 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19406940.2025.2515165 |
Abstract | Kneeling to communicate athlete’s support to the antiracism movement has sporadically been done at soccer competitions in the Western world in the late 2010s and early 2020s. The movement’s lack of expansion is surprising given the contemporary isomorphic tendencies in governance in fields like sports, higher education, and business. The death of the ‘take a knee’ movement was confirmed in recent years at major sporting events: the 2021 Tokyo Olympics soccer tournament, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, and the 2024 Paris Olympics soccer competition. This article argues that kneeling’s failure in enthusing potential communicators (sportspersons) and recipients (sports crowds) largely reflects the uninspired choice of symbolic communication for this grassroots movement, at least outside the United States. |
Keywords | Kaepernick; take a knee; ritual; Rule 50; sports activism |
Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 480414. Sports law |
470108. Organisational, interpersonal and intercultural communication | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | School of Law and Justice |
School of Education | |
Centre for Health Research | |
Institute for Resilient Regions |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/zy1v2/why-has-taking-a-knee-failed-as-athlete-activism
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