Introduction
In the essay, Dave Zirin aims to demonstrate to readers that the changes taking place in sports are a very significant factor in modern politics. This is explained by the fact that it was the image that was important for athletes some time ago rather than the component of their social responsibility. However, some events allowed us to launch a particular chain of events that changed the nature of attitudes towards sports in a certain way. Thus, the image of an athlete as an unattainable ideal changes to an ordinary person who is also concerned about the problems occurring in the country.
Sport and Politics
This is not mentioned in the author’s essay, but various events have always served as a reason for political interference in one way or another. It is worth remembering, for example, the conduct of ping-pong diplomacy, which allowed the US to establish relations between the United States and China. Therefore, it should be understood that politics and sports have never existed separately from each other. On the other hand, the athletes themselves rarely made statements that could affect anything socially. This is primarily due to the image, which is dangerous to lose. However, times are changing, and athletes are transformed by the events happening around them. As noted in the essay’s text, the political statements of athletes are valid only when they have money in their hands (Zirin 18). Nevertheless, the relationship has changed, as it becomes impossible to stay away, and Dave Zirin explains this by saying that the image of athletes is becoming closer to reality.
Conclusion
They are no longer distant figures, and therefore it is necessary to talk about events that are important for each person. In this case, athletes, because of their popularity, should act as a kind of mouthpiece for the ideas of the population, which they can convey to politicians. Despite all the positive aspects of the changes, the opposite effect can also happen. This is because athletes need to correctly realize the scale of their influence for the ideas they promote not to be destructive.
Work Cited
Zirin, Dave. “Pre-Game.” Game Over: How Politics Has Turned the Sports World Upside Down, New Press, 2013, pp. 14–22.