Let Freedom Ring: National Freedom Week

As we celebrate our country’s anniversary of independence, we reflect on the tremendous strides our society has made to extend freedom and liberty to its citizens.  Great inroads to equality of opportunity have been made, breaking down historical barriers of race, gender and wealth.  While there are still battles to be won, much progress has been made, particularly in the historically white male-dominated sports industry.  In the last decade, women and minorities have climbed the ladder of success in sports business, blazing the trail for more to follow behind them.

Check out my full article in Sports Networker for my top three sports business influencers that embody freedom.

"Anything you can do I can do better…" ?

When asked how to break the tie between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh to determine who gets to represent the US in the 100-meter dash in this summer’s Olympic games, Justin Gatlin suggested they mud wrestle. While he was only joking, it is this kind of commentary that calls into question the true existence of gender equality in athletics.

Just 3 days following the 40th anniversary of Title IX, Gatlin’s comment, sincere or not, begs the question of whether women’s and men’s sports will ever hold the same level of respect. When the talent of Olympic- caliber female athletes cannot be taken seriously by their male counterparts, this lack of support serves as yet another hurdle these women must surmount.

In a society where the history of women’s athletics is characterized by overachievement by a few for the sake of opportunity creation for many, I wonder when (if?) the day will come when women will have sufficiently proven themselves and can compete on a global stage without others questioning or undermining their abilities. Women like Billie Jean King, Wilma Rudolph, Althea Gibson and Florence Griffith-Joyner set world records and broke down barriers, validating their own abilities and opening doors for women like Mia Hamm, Venus and Serena Williams, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Diana Taurasi and all the others we admire today.

Justin Gatlin’s statement is a mere glimpse of a mindset that is all too pervasive in our society today. However, there are far too many historical icons that put their careers and reputations on the line to create equal opportunities for women in sports for us to allow this myopia to persist.

Original article: http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-justin-gatlin-felix-tarmoh-20120626,0,1884465.story