Soccer, Sports and Politics - Part Deux

Does this include sock puppets?

 

They'll get to that eventually, I'm sure.

 

I need to peruse my copy of "Project 2025"* to see if there's anything about the interstate commerce clause in there.



*Have the pdf saved on my laptop at home.

 

A few points here:
1 - This article is more than 18 months old.
2 - That is important because there is a systemic lack of baseline for high level women (term used specifically) athletes
3 - Because of that lack of baseline, it is difficult to judge what is norm and not norm.
4 - There is also a lack baseline for high level transfemale athletes
5 - There is also a lack of research comparing the transition period for athletes earlier (such as starting at 13 or 14) versus older (such as starting at 19 or 20)

I bring up these lack of baselines as there are starting to be studies done, and then the media reports on them as if they are fact.

Edit to add - for those not following things Emma Hayes is doing with the USWNT, one of them is to have researchers come into the camp and assess the players...bodies (for lack of a better word/phrase). While this is meant to understand things like recovery and training, it also is providing a baseline.

 

You need to work on your wording. The phrasing makes it sound like it was taken down, but that is not correct. It was moved to a different part of the stadium, but still displayed.

Spurs communicated the decision with the club’s LGBTQ+ supporter group, the Proud Lilywhites, who subsequently informed its members, in a statement seen by The Athletic.

The Proud Lilywhites expressed its frustration with the decision, writing: “You don’t get to come to our house and dictate what’s acceptable, let alone kick off about a flag that represents our own community. But here we are.
“We wanted you to hear it directly from us. We wanted to be sure that you know that this is an opposition team request and no reflection of the club’s commitment to the Proud Lilywhites.”​

And, as always, it is more complicated.

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/sto...tes-express-disappointment-rainbow-flag-moved

A statement by Proud Lilywhites read: "Slavia Prague have raised concerns that some of their supporters may damage the flag and cause disorder if it remains in its usual location.

"Once an away club raises a potential safety issue, UEFA and the home club is required to assess the risk and act accordingly. The outcome for tonight is that the flag will be relocated.

"Let's be honest about what this means. The risk here isn't the flag. It's the reaction of a small number of opposition supporters. That's disappointing, and it's another reminder of the hostility LGBTQI+ fans still face across European football.​

I disagree with the reason it was moved, and disagree with UEFA's requirement and assessment.

 

Sorry, should have said "clarified your wording" rather than what I said.

Without saying what subsequently occurred (moving to a different location in the stadium), makes it sound like it could have been removed from inside the stadium. That is an important point as you may be unaware that Spurs have a history of supporting minority groups. In fact, they were one of (maybe the first) ELP team to officially and publicly recognize LGBTQ+ members (not sure about an LGBTQ+ supporters group). Thus, if the flag was removed from inside the stadium, it would go against what Spurs have done, which would have changed the response (by me, and also by Spurs members).