Sports and diplomacy share a long data connection in global affairs, however, the edges are not yet marked (Rofe, 2016). The two fields have a co-constitutive capacity to change the character of others instead of nature when combined (Ibid). Athletes are often seen as global citizens who can highlight issues that could otherwise be overlooked with the potential for catalysis through public promotion and support.
Young athletes find challenges that unfortunately are not exclusive to them, such as discrimination inside and outside the field. Such experiences impact and generate additional challenges for athletes when they play, in addition to impacting them and those associated with them outside the field. Develop an understanding of how the constructive response takes time and space that are available for young adult athletes. There is a responsibility in which they are around the athletes to nurture them and help them develop their trust to decide informally if their platform and how they want. Just as athletes are heroes to give an account of their words, the interested parties around them should be heroes with the same standard no higher for the effective creation of a safe space and a support network, and implement mechanisms to protect athletes and everything they represent.
Despite the achievements, professional athletes are often told to adhere to practice their sport when they choose to express opinions. The essence of problems seems to be a lack of understanding around the scoring behavior, and the fact that some audiences question whether athletes are qualified or have the right to discuss topics far from the sport they practice. In turn, sometimes distinguishing the global citizen and the athlete in the field of the person outside the field is a challenge for some audiences. The sports career of professional athletes and their success should not be tasks to mean that the experiences of life that shape their perspectives and values have exempt. Such audiences seem to rule out the humanity of the identity of the athlete outside the field and, therefore, try to ignore the experiences of the field that molded their perceptions.
Athlete communication is effective because their audience can relate to what they represent, be it race, gender, background and similar shared experiences. Athletes are also common citizens, which means they have the same values and face challenges similar to their audiences. On and off the field, these experiences and emoticies related to values that an athlete is seen in embody and representation, creates confidence and credibility directly with the public. Athletes have spectators at all levels, which means that their accessibility can reach the public that would normally be difficult to have influential political or change powers.
Marcus Rashford is a very current example of this. Rashford used its sports platform to participate in the dialogue with those in power positions to implement policies for social change. Without a doubt, it had a significant impact and influence on the decision of the United Kingdom Prime Minister not to reduce funds for free school foods for children in the United Kingdom. This example demonstrates further influence and soft power that professional athletes can have. Therefore, athletes who individually choose to use their platforms to address challenging social problems can infiltrate space that are delicate by nature. Consistently, turning an ordinary athlete into a Diplomat in a tracksuit“ Where they can express their feelings and creative dialogue in a global scenario for all those who represent to strengthen and inspire the search for a positive socio -political and economic change.
It is evident that there is a fundamental responsibility to buy the public free of education to instill a positive change. Without a fundamental understanding, it becomes difficult to communicate positive messages and create space for the influence on decision -making levels within the sports industry. Athletes have the ability to align their organizations and fans with their communities, which includes the care and understanding of the problems that exist within them. This gives them the opportunity to influence the institutions that can change the ways in which the members of these communities are treated, but that may not have the route to access those places where the change can be initiated.
In addition to competing, there is responsibility to equip athletes to help them process and administer being at the receiving end of any type of abuse around who and what they represent, which covers both inside and outside the field. Athletes have exclusive platforms for them where their words as individuals can have an impact that looks tangible through positive change. In conclusion, sports diplomacy creates an interdisciplinary platform for athletes to become diplomats in track costumes. The soft power that elite athletes has does not have parallel and places them in a unique position to use their influence to accelerate the change in multidimensional levels.
Ashton Hewitt, elite athlete (professional rugby player)
Aashika Doshi, member of the Sport & Eu Board
