Sporting Images in Black and White: Race in Newspaper Coverage of the 2000 Olympic Games

Abstract

The Olympic Games is a global sporting event framed in popular culture as promoting diversity and equal opportunity. This study looks at racialized depictions of U.S. Olympic (2000) athletes in 5 U.S. daily (4 regional and 1 national) newspapers. More than 800 images of U.S. Olympic athletes were examined to see if depictions mirrored the reality of the Games and if depictions reinforced notions of racial and sexual difference. The medal count of U.S. athletes, tabulated by race, gender, sport type, and sport category, was used as the “reality gauge” for this study. While the newspapers presented ratios of male and female competitors realistically, they overrepresented Black athletes. Black males were also overrepresented in strength sports. Such depictions reinforce hegemonic notions of Black primitive athleticism and of racial difference.

Keywords:

• Olympics
• photographs
• sexual difference
• gender
• race
• athletes
• racial difference
• cultural hegemony

Notes

Note. The “Don't know” category not included. χ² = 29.187, p < .01, df = 12.

Note. The “Don't know” category not included. χ² = 8.946, p < .05, df = 3.

Note. The “Don't know” category not included. χ² = 72.057, p < .01, df = 12.

¹ This study did not empirically explore the impact of such athletes. A look through the sports sections of these newspapers does indicate some influence; The Gainesville Sun and the Times-Union both featured former University of Florida students who were competing. For instance, the Times-Union featured two stories (with photographs) on John Capel, a Black University of Florida sprinter who failed to win any medals. The Times-Union also ran a front-page action shot of Savannah, GA, resident Cheryl Haworth, a White weightlifter who won a bronze medal. The Orlando Sentinel ran a sports front feature on a male from Orlando competing in synchronized diving (he did not win a medal). It is unlikely that these athletes would have gotten this kind of coverage if it were not for their local connection.