Separating the player from the crime

With the influence of the sports industry across the world, can you separate the player from the person?

COMMENTARY BY DANIELA CALDERON, STAFF WRITER

Amid the political division across the globe, athletic events continue to raise nationalistic pride. From sporting their favorite jerseys to social media commentary, the emphasis on sports culture has caused fans to begin over-idolizing athletes. Paying attention to both the major victories and serious mistakes players make, sports fans do not separate players’ athletic lives from their personal lives. Athletes’ criminal records involving illicit drug use, domestic violence, and other infractions heavily impact the opinions of their audience. Due to their high viewership and statuses as role models, athletes should be held to a higher standard in their personal lives.

Born in Argentina during a sociopolitical and economic crisis, soccer midfielder Diego Maradona rose from the dirt-cemented street matches of his childhood to the World Cup stage as a 22-yearold. Despite being idolized by people who hoped they would one day escape impoverished conditions, Maradona portrayed detrimental messages to his fans as he became heavily addicted to drugs and alcohol and had numerous reports of abuse towards women filed against him. Shortly before his death in Nov. 2020, Maradona discussed the impacts of his mistakes and emphasized his personal actions should not stain his soccer career.

According to The New York Times, although Maradona was aware of his actions, he emphasized that there had to be a distinction between him as an athlete and as a person. However, sticking to these wishes results in ignoring a notable portion of his reputation. Disregarding Maradona’s crimes would result in ignoring all of the victims to his malicious actions. Thus, dismissing his actions would emphasize the discrepancies in the justice system for people with fame.

Apart from Maradona, distinguishing the ethical concerns behind different influencers’ actions is an issue that has risen across the sports industry. Star goalie of the United States Women’s Soccer Team and two-time gold medalist, Hope Solo, quickly became a role-model for women around the world upon leading her team to championship in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Yet, in 2014, she was arrested for two counts of domestic violence towards family members. Regarded as a warning, all legal charges towards Solo were eventually dropped. Yet Solo did not make a statement regarding the importance of presenting herself in an appropriate manner until she received hate for her several unsportsmanlike comments in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Solo was ultimately released from her contract with the U.S. National Team, conveying the important message that one could not separate her personal identity from the gold medals that she won. Her career was impacted by her actions as a whole person, fully conveying the importance of being professional as an international influencer.

“[Solo’s] decisions and behavior off the field could greatly affect her performance on the field. I think it is a good idea to keep the player separate from the person until it reaches the point where the person off the field starts to affect the player on the field,” sophomore varsity center right defender Ariana Alvarez said.

In an article published by The Harvard Crimson, student journalist Stuti Telidevara, questioned how we can follow several aspects of athletes’ lives and refuse to take their actions off the field into account. The problem with drawing the line between the player and the person is the acceptance of impropriety that comes with doing so; the idolization of a person who, without their athletic skills, would not be accepted into society, contradicts not only the idea of sportsmanship but what it means to be a role model. Thus, being followed by not only adults but children who look up athletes on the tabloids and find more media coverage on their unacceptable behavior rather than their athletic career may lead to desensitizing the issues at hand.

Maradona, Solo and other athletes with a significant following are at the core of the public eye. Their ability to influence people is why athletes should be held to a much higher standard. Ignoring the actions of popular figures only desensitizes the moral issues that society is trying to tackle. Professional athletes are often forgiven for their malconduct because of their career achievements. These excuses are not in accordance to the progressiveness and pace of the generation to make a change in society; they only hold back progress.