Sport & Politics

spdixon

New member
Should AGB seek to impose a ban on the Russian Archery Federation due to their Governments aggressive attitude in annexing the Crimea and their on-going de-stabilisation of the Ukraine?
 

Mormegil

Member
I'm guessing that Russian archers didn't personally invade Crimea and that Putin doesn't care if they get to shoot or not. So based on a boycott harming people who just want to compete and doing nothing to the people actually responsible I'd say no.

Should you ban the Australian team over treatment of refugees?

Should you ban the U.S. team over Iraq/Afghanistan (banning yourselves at the same time for good measure)?

Should you ban the Zimbabwe team because Mugabe is a violent lunatic?
 

OskarsL

Member
I don't think we should start mixing sports and politics. The athletes have no say over what the politicians are doing, especially Putin...
 

OskarsL

Member
They have a vote!!!
Do they really? Russian elections (or referendums, as seen in Crimea) are quite often questionable. Putin winning the 2012 elections was a followed by many calling the elections rigged in favour of Putin.

Anyway, as I said before I don't think we should start mixing the politics with sports. :)
 

Mormegil

Member
They have a vote!!!
Excellent. Ask who they voted for and ban accordingly. Once you're done, have a look at how the U.S. boycott of the Moscow olympics hastened the fall of the U.S.S.R. and how the the Soviet boycott of the LA olympics caused the U.S. to economically collapse. Once you notice that those things never happened you can unban everyone and just let them shoot.
 

spdixon

New member
We should and can discuss everything and anything in this Forum. Its good to talk. That way nothing festers.
 

Furface

Moderator
Supporter
.......Anyway, as I said before I don't think we should start mixing the politics with sports. :)
While, for Archery in its current position this is an easy statement to make (very few would listen to our protests), I believe that you cannot - must not - say that any part of society is not involved in politics, or vice versa. Politics affects our facilities, our funding, our policies, our leisure time, our costs. Not everyone has to pay attention to this, but everyone should be aware of the context in which we work. Should we boycott Russia? IMHO, no - but we need to know why the question would be asked, and what the effect might be.
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
While, for Archery in its current position this is an easy statement to make (very few would listen to our protests), I believe that you cannot - must not - say that any part of society is not involved in politics, or vice versa. Politics affects our facilities, our funding, our policies, our leisure time, our costs. Not everyone has to pay attention to this, but everyone should be aware of the context in which we work.
I agree with Furface. I think politics and sport are so tightly mixed it hard to see where the boundaries are. I'm old enough to remember the boycott of South Africa during Apartheid. Then, if you partook in a sporting event in SA you were at risk of being added to the 'Register'. This was enough to put many sports people off going, not because they supported or were against Apartheid but just to avoid their names being recorded. I think using sport as a political lever is a poor choice. Each athlete must make up their own mind whether they would go to Russia to participate in a sporting event, or even to participate in an event with Russian athletes outside Russia, but to ban Russia from entering a sporting event is, again, leverage and takes away the right of the athlete to choose.

Should we boycott Russia? IMHO, no - but we need to know why the question would be asked, and what the effect might be.
I think this is slightly different from the OP question. The OP asks... "Should AGB seek to impose a ban on the Russian Archery Federation?" This is not the same as boycotting events. But if Russia is permitted participation a bigger issue arises, being that of event organisers. Should they be forced to facilitate events where they may have an objection to Russian participation. If they do not provide the events organisers will effectively usurp the athletes right to choose. This is not a easy question to answer 'yes' or 'no' to.
 

bimble

Well-known member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
AIUK Saviour
out of curiosity, are we talking about the banning of Russian Federation archers shooting in the UK, or are we talking about AGB going to World Archery looking for a ban on Russian Federation archers from taking part in International World Archery shoots??
 

blakey

Active member
Should AGB seek to impose a ban on the Russian Archery Federation due to their Governments aggressive attitude in annexing the Crimea and their on-going de-stabilisation of the Ukraine?
I was and am extremely saddened by the European reaction to the problems in the Ukraine. I would have expected some maturity at least from the Germans, who last invaded Russia through the Ukraine. The Crimea is historically Russian territory and is Russian speaking. Common sense would suggest that a referendum in the other eastern districts would be a sensible way to go. Did the UK not just allow Scotland that? Straight back into Cold War hysteria. I'm embarrassed by the level of bigotry.
 

Mormegil

Member
What treatment of refugees? Australia accepts thousands of legitimate refugees every year through the UN?
I'm actually advocating not mixing politics with archery. I don't care what Australia does with refugees, it's purely an example from the media.
 

LMK

New member
Should AGB seek to impose a ban on the Russian Archery Federation due to their Governments aggressive attitude in annexing the Crimea and their on-going de-stabilisation of the Ukraine?
Really? why select this event - there are many countries that behave in similar fashion - thats not to defend in any way Russia's behaviour over Ukraine but depending on your political stance you could argue the USA/China/UK/Sri Lanka/Israel - I could go on, have at any chosen time ignored international law. For that reason politics should be the reserve of UK Government - if they decide it is correct to restrict or sever sporting relationships then that decision is made by a democratically elected government rather than by individual sports themselves. Of course this does not stop an INDIVIDUAL athlete deciding that their views exclude them from competing because of their own views. The only exception I would say is if another countries sporting governing body/team have behaved in a reprehensible manner - there would certainly be a case for us not competing against East Germany or USSR on the basis of their institutional abuse of performance enhancing drugs in the 70s and 80s
 

bimble

Well-known member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
AIUK Saviour
there was a vote in the UN condemning the embargo of Cuba this week.... everyone but the US and Israel voted for it... guessing we're banning them from shoots now, eh?? ;)
 

blakey

Active member
I'm actually advocating not mixing politics with archery.
I agree wholeheartedly. I like my hobby and certainly don't wish to see it sullied by the lowest form of human indiscretion. I despise politics and politicians and feel it's a shame to allow discussion of them on this forum. Best relegated to the status of the ' News of the World' methinks. Thank you and goodbye.
 
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