“I am so, so grateful to all the other races that are with us now because they have given us a voice.”
On August 26, 2020, the NBA team Milwaukee Bucks refused to play the fifth game of its playoff series against Orlando Magic following the shooting of African American Jacob Blake by a police officer near their stadium.
"Sport is an integral part of American culture. It takes a lot of time on TV, a lot of press. Athletics teams taking a stand and protesting something is going to have a huge impact.
For us triple jump record holder Tori Franklin, sport has the capacity to bring about a change in mentality and play its part in the fight against racism.
In 2000, Former South African President Nelson Mandela declared that " sport has the power to change the world." Two decades later, 2020 proved how right he was.
It was a year when athletes of all different talents – footballers; basketball players; athletics stars; tennis players; F1 drivers – from all over the world mobilized.
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They protested against racism. And they demanded change.
Sierra Leone international striker Kei Kamara now plays for MLS side Minnesota United after leaving Colorado Rapids
Sierra Leonean footballer Kei Kamara – who joined the protests after George Floyd's death-told BBC Sport his children and their future inspired him to take a stand.
” I lay on the floor for nine minutes and my son actually lay next to me, without even asking him – and Kendrick is only three years old, " Kamara said.
And I turned around and I saw it and it hit me so hard, like " wow."
Former South African President Nelson Mandela declared that " sport has the power to change the world
“I am so, so grateful to all the other races that are with us now because they have given us a voice.”
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2020 was also the year when footballers in the English Premier League began to kneel before kick-off as a sign of unity against racism.
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This led the NBA not only to postpone this game, but also to all other games to be played that night.
And several other sports followed, supporting athletes ' decisions to boycott a game: sports like baseball, football, and tennis.
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Tori Franklin is the current world record holder in the women's triple jump
For Franklin, every sport has a voice and should speak out against racism, regardless of its profile.
"Of course, we definitely have a voice," she says.
"Our voice is obviously not as big as the NBA, but there have been a lot of athletes who have protested in competition – Gwen Berry in 2019 at the Pan American Games, Noah Lyles did this year, in Monaco. [Athletics Diamond League meeting], wearing a glove and putting on the Black Fist.
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"And many athletes posted on their social networks, protesting, just being very involved – me included.”
Inspiring change
The biggest platform for athletics is the Olympics-an event that, had the coronavirus not occurred, would have been the focal point of the sporting year.
And throughout history, athletes have used the Olympic Games to raise awareness of social and political issues, which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not allow.