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SPORTSSaturday 24 March 2018
NFL players use attention over protests to push for change
By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Associated Press
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) —
The controversy over pro-
tests during the national
anthem at NFL games last
season helped propel is-
sues of racial inequality
and social injustice to the
forefront and gave athletes
a stronger voice to bring
about change, current and
former players said Friday.
The players, who spoke at
a Harvard Law School sum-
mit on criminal justice re-
form, said they capitalized
on the attention surround-
ing the protests to highlight players.
issues they care about, like
mass incarceration.
Now, they're using their
platform to talk to lawmak-
ers, police chiefs and pros-
ecutors across the country
about injustices they see
in the communities where
they grew up.
"With all of the controversy
and the fanfare around
(the protests), it created a
platform that was probably
larger than any of us would
have had individually, and
we were able to leverage
that," said Malcolm Jenkins,
a safety on the Philadel-
phia Eagles and co-found-
er of the Players Coalition,
a group of NFL athletes
advocating for policies to
further social and racial
equality.
Colin Kaepernick started
Usain Bolt delights fans by scoring in Dortmund training
DORTMUND, Germany (AP)
— Usain Bolt trained again
with German soccer club
Borussia Dortmund on Fri-
day and this time scored
a header and a penalty in
front of nearly 1,500 spec-
tators. The 31-year-old re-
tired sprint great took part
in team exercises under
coach Peter Stoeger, ex-
changing passes with Ma-
rio Goetze and others in the
relaxed session.
"It was good," Bolt said. "I
had fun with the guys. They
were very welcoming."
Dortmund said 1,409 spec-
tators came to see the
eight-time Olympic cham-
pion in action. News agen-
cy DPA said there were 137
accredited journalists.
Philadelphia Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins, left, speaks, as former NFL player Anquan Boldin, New Eng- about policing, prosecutors
land Patriots' Devin McCourty, moderator New York Times Magazine's Emily Bazelon, and New and sentencing reform.
Orleans Saints' Demario Davis listen during a session to discuss criminal justice issues with other During a panel discussion
current and former NFL football players at Harvard Law School, Friday, March 23, 2018, in Cam- led by The New York Times
bridge, Mass. Magazine's Emily Bazelon,
the players discussed per-
Associated Press sonal experiences — like
watching videos of police
the NFL anthem movement en years to social justice ers should care about but shootings of black men or
when he was with the San causes in a plan that in- we should all care about," hearing the stories of their
Francisco 49ers in 2016 to volves league players. said McCourty, who spent own family members —
protest racial inequality New England Patriot Devin Thursday at the Massachu- that drove them into activ-
and police brutality. Some McCourty said in an inter- setts statehouse lobbying ism.
players knelt during the an- view with The Associated lawmakers on juvenile jus- They spoke of the need for
them, an act that drew the Press that the NFL's support tice issues. police to have stronger re-
ire of Republican President of the players' mission has The athletes were joined lationships with people in
Donald Trump, who called been encouraging. at the Harvard summit by their communities and the
for NFL owners to fire such "I think the NFL has seen the Philadelphia District Attor- importance of having real
bigger picture — that this ney Larry Krasner and other conversations about race,
In response to the player is not just the players trying lawyers as well as profes- even when it makes peo-
demonstrations, the NFL to do something to give sors, judges and activists. ple uncomfortable.
agreed to commit $90 back — but these are real The players participated “We have the unique abil-
million over the next sev- issues that not just the play- in small group discussions ity to bring people to the
table and now we have
the responsibility when we
have everyone at the table
to speak truth and kind of
force that conversation,”
Jenkins said.
The players said some ath-
letes worry that getting in-
volved in social or political
issues will hurt their careers.
But they said they hope
that lending their voices
to these causes will inspire
others to take action.
“A lot of people just think
about athletes as just jocks,
but there are some bril-
liant minds in those lock-
er rooms,” said Anquan
Boldin, a former Baltimore
Raven.q
Jamaica's former sprinter Usain Bolt, center, takes part in a commentary in English. Bolt think the Jamaican could
practice session of the Borussia Dortmund soccer squad in Dort- later signed autographs for make it in soccer today.
mund, Germany, Friday, March 23, 2018. fans as photographers jos- "He is at an age where I say
tled for pictures. he is no longer so incredibly
Associated Press "I think it worked out very capable of development,"
well," said Goetze, who the Austrian coach said.
"Usain is an incredibly laid got a stage that he had won the World Cup with "You can see that he un-
back guy, totally down to dreamed about." Germany in 2014. "Usain derstands the game. He's
earth. I think it was fun for The German club broad- felt comfortable, we could talented. What he's missing
him," Stoeger said. "And he cast the session live with accommodate him well. It is the team work."
was a cool exercise." Dortmund, which shares a
It was Bolt's second training sponsor with Bolt, had long
session with the team. He extended an invitation for
took part in another behind him to train with the team
closed doors on Thursday. at some stage. Bolt retired
A delighted Nuri Sahin from track after the 2017
wrote on Twitter that it was world championships.
a "big honor" to meet "the Dortmund's next game af-
fastest man alive." Other ter the international break
Dortmund players also is at Bayern Munich on
posed for photographs March 31. Bayern can se-
with Bolt. cure the league title if other
But Stoeger didn't seem to results go its way.q