(June 29th, 2018)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This week we are taking a closer look into the world of sports and anarchism. Across the newspaper headlines for the past few weeks has been coverage of the World Cup of soccer taking place in Russia. Outside of the USA and around the world, the World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world and it\u2019s game of soccer, the most popular sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s taking place in Russia this year, which has also been in the anarchist news headlines for repression of anarchists and dissidents there. It should be obvious that anarchists are against the spectacle of sports on this level \u2013 the governments, corporations, and corruption inherent in such things. One example of anarchist opposition to the world of sports comes from the text \u201cThe Olympics: a reflection of a society under capitalism by anonymous.\u201d It says the Olympics are \u201clittle more than a display of nationalistic pride and flag waving by nations who co-opt efforts of athletes to further their own schemes.\u201d And then the text calls for an \u201cAnarchist Olympic games to be held in 2020. I\u2019m not sure what events there would be (that\u2019s another discussion) but they would be a games that will surely highlight mutual aid over competition, solidarity over nationalism, and equality over crass commercialisation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the more anarchist playing field, sports have played an important aspect of radical culture. Recently in a very informal IRC survey of participants favorite anarchist sports they listed: sex, brick throwing, running down the walls, capture the flag and other neighborhood \/ city wide games (a la CrimethInc.), protest, attack, video games and antifa. Apparently, it was also mentioned that the Japanese have contests for flipping tables and book ripping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anarchist and antifascist football clubs are popular world wide, but especially in Europe it seems. The Situationist Asger Jorn came up with a variation of soccer called three-sided football, which is played by some. Other than Jeff \u201cThe Snowman\u201d Monson of mixed martial artist fame, I\u2019m hard-pressed to name any famous anarchist athletes other than perhaps Woody Harrelson in the 1990s movie \u201cWhite Men Can\u2019t Jump\u201d – as Wikipedia lists him as an anarchist, although it also mentions that he supports the 9\/11 Truth Movement. The Colorado Avalanche of The National Hockey League (NHL) takes home the award for sports team unknowingly having anarchist symbol as their logo. Curiously, in Fifth Estate #392 they published a text \u201cOn The Anarchist Origins of Golf\u201d by Joseph Winogrond, which makes an argument for golf originally as an anarchist sport of sorts. Certainly the abuse of land, water-use, chemicals, corporate-sized tournament purses and exorbitant greens fees, its feigned air of exclusivity and aristocracy of golf today are far from these anarchist roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the recent intriguing text \u201cMaximum Potential\u201d by Max Res they examine the idea of anarchists doing fitness. Accordingly, much of the current writing on such things is centered around the antifa crowd and they take a look at the Haymaker Gym in Chicago, which is an \u201cattempt to create a radical culture of fitness and self-defense.\u201d The Haymaker thinks of the body as \u201cthe most intimate of material forces\u201d and \u201cas a tool for revolution, and strength as a means by which to change the world.\u201d Max Res concludes that it is \u201cworth further considering what anarchist fitness could look like when not motivated by revolutionary goals or a defense mentality.\u201d Certainly these ideas of anarchists doing fitness and the relationship to sports is an exciting area to consider in the toolbox of anarchism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back to the news, the television channel flickers and the reporter reads the World Cup scores aloud. Colin Kaepernick still isn\u2019t on an NFL team yet, mostly for kneeling during the national anthem, which with backing from Trump, the NFL will now penalize teams for such actions. Meanwhile Kaepernick has been seen out supporting the IWOC, or the IWW effort behind incarcerated workers and prison abolition. NBA stars like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul rally around social issues like Black Lives Matter and gun violence. The NFL \u201ccares\u201d and frequently puts in players and teams doing community service ops and has teams wear special military pride uniforms some weekends. The spectacle of popular culture and sports grinds on as your favorite player signs a multi-million dollar contract and even larger Nike shoe endorsement. CYA in the streets!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nYou can read the text “Maximum Potential” referenced in this brief review here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n