No Overactivism
Robert Lewandowski’s Use of Gentle Protest to Avoid National Political Backlash
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21763409 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Timothy Bridgman (0000-0001-8796-2736, University of Lodz, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 31-48 |
| Publication date | 2024-05-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Studies Interdisciplinary Political and Cultural Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1641-4233 • E-ISSN: 2300-8695 |
| Publisher | Uniwersytet Lodzki (University of Lodz) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.18778/1641-4233.30.02 |
| OpenAlex | W4396801707 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 14 |
The last few years have seen the return of athlete activism into major international sports events held worldwide as a mindset based on social responsibility and political freedom of speech has spread into the selfperception of many current top athletes. However, while these athletes may have experienced a recent personal transformation, the national political backlash accompanying activism remains set in a long tradition condemning political interference in sports. This article provides a background on the tradition of castigating political athlete activists, a theory on why and how national political backlash occurs, and evidence on the successful use of gentle activism to avoid such scenarios. The research examines a case study of Polish international footballer Robert Lewandowski’s ‘pointing the finger’ during a World Cup qualifier in 2022 to illustrate how alternative moderate forms of activism can be adopted. This study aims to introduce the term ‘overactivism’ into the politics of sport as a concept where the athlete prioritises retaining long-term political relevancy over maximising the political impact of a single event
Athletes · Backlash · Mindset · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Engineering · Law · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts · Sports Analytics and Performance · Sports, Gender, and Society
'When you score you're English, when you miss you're Black'
A little less conversation’
Boos, Bans, and other Backlash
Power in numbers/Power and numbers
Slow Activism in Fast Times
Taking a Knee, Taking a Stand
Does Protest 'Distract' Athletes From Performing? Evidence From the National Anthem Demonstrations in the National Football League
The Racial Divide Surrounding United States of America National Anthem Protests in the National Football League
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |