"What Makes A Sporting Icon.."

What makes a great athlete?? Medals, Achievement in their sport? Championships? I think all of these components make great athletes, but I think what makes an great athlete an icon is when they use their voice to make people aware of more important things around the world. This is why Muhammad Ali is often referred to as an icon, not just because of his talents inside the boxing ring but because of what he did concerning the vietnam war. Muhammad Ali was drafted to be in the army in 1964 to go and fight in the Vietnam war, when Ali was informed of this he publicly considered himself a conscientious objector. He came out with that famous quote

"I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger.."

This is something that was very uncommon for the heavy weight champion of the world to come out and say at the time. Ali was then scheduled induction into the U.S. Armed Forces on April 28, 1967 in Houston, he refused three times to step forward at the call of his name. An officer warned him he was committing a felony punishable by five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. He refused to move, as a result he was taken in to custody and on the same day the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and stripped him of his title. After other boxing commissions did the same thing. 

On June 21 1967 after on 21 minutes of deliberation the jury found Ali guilty. Ali took it to the court of appeals and they held up the conviction, Ali took it to the U.S supreme court and on 1971 the U.S supreme court reversed the decision in favour of Ali.

This shows a man that is not just a great athlete but a man that is willing to stand up for his beliefs and be a voice for people that try to speak but never are given the chance to be heard. 

A Basketball team The Phoenix Suns, did something last week before there game 2 game with the San Antonio spurs. The Suns were taking a stand against Arizona's new immigration law which basically means the Arizona's law orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally. It also targets those who hire illegal immigrant laborers or knowingly transport them. This a lot of people believe it will lead to racial profiling in Arizona.

On Nba.com the following was said by Phoenix owner and supported by long time veteran and former 2 time M.V.P Steve Nash.....

"Our players and organization felt that wearing our 'Los Suns' jerseys on Cinco de Mayo was a way for our team and our organization to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the State of Arizona, and our nation.  The frustration with the federal government's failure to deal with the issue of illegal immigration resulted in passage of a flawed state law. However intended, the result of passing this law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question, and Arizona's already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill afford them."

I believe the sporting Icons are the ones that show they care about the happenings in the world and will use their status as a star athlete to help people's voice to be heard.

Let me know your thoughts 

Peace

A x