No racism here? A preliminary examination of sporting innocence

Abstract

The issue of racism in sport has been receiving a lot of attention recently, but there is a tendency to be distracted by high-profile cases in football that grab the headlines. In this paper attention is directed not just to conspicuous incidents, but to the 'everyday racism' that is insidious and difficult to address. Drawing on empirical research (particularly in rugby league and cricket), existing literature and media coverage, the paper examines the various attempts to rationalize claims of racism in sport. The paper identifies the process of denial by many within sport that serves to inhibit moves to counter racism and reviews some of the most common attempts to explain away what is perceived as racism.