There is an old adage that sport should be separate from politics. The same-sex marriage debate in Australia has revived that view, as many sport bodies have publicly advocated a position on the matter…
Indigenous children who participate in AFL have better physical and mental health than those who don’t.
Rusty Stewart/Flickr
Much has been written about success of Indigenous players at elite levels of the game. But perhaps the more important story is one of Indigenous participation in grass roots and community football.
Heritier Lumumba describes his experience of racism at Collingwood Football Club in Fair Game.
SBS
Héritier Lumumba played for Collingwood Football Club until 2014, where his teammates called him “Chimp”. His experience mirrors that of many other black men in Australia, particularly in the workplace.
The Australian cricketers’ refusal to work is a potent form of player power, however the potential benefits may be illusory.
AAP/Darren England
Professional sports is bucking major trends in industrial relations, such as a marked decline in both union membership and industrial disputes over recent decades.
Sydney’s Lance Franklin is a popular choice for many fantasy AFL coaches.
AAP/David Moir
Fantasy sports began as a niche hobby for statistically inclined sports fanatics. But, with the internet, it has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Indigenous children depicted in an etching playing the game of marngrook, which some have claimed inspired the game of Australian rules.
Wikimedia Commons
The revival of the idea of Indigenous influence on the origins of Australian rules football diverts attention from another, much more uncomfortable story about Indigenous relationships to football.
Being a footy fan is about more than just supporting a team.
AAP/David Crosling
Research shows there are some common struggles among those who retire from being professional athletes but players can be successful in careers after sport.
Australian sport may only account for 1.6% of total household spend, but its macro impact on the economy is strong.
from www.shutterstock.com
Australian sport will never have the commercial clout to bring the economy out of recession or solve a regional unemployment problem. But it is more than a fringe player in the economic game.
Establishing unique voices from various female perspectives will help create a united front on issues of specific female concern.
Dean Lewins/AAP
The goal of identifying leadership attributes that translate into team success remains as elusive in sport as it does in other spheres of human endeavour.
Susan Alberti (left) and Debbie Lee were pivotal to the formation of the national women’s AFL competition.
Melbourne Football Club
Sport can be a driver for change; it can make a difference in people’s lives and unify communities, particularly around national successes. But it can also create tensions and cause conflict.
Whichever way you look at it, Australian rules football makes a clear difference for the better in people’s lives.
AAP/Joe Castro
Research Fellow, Institute for Health & Sport, member of the Community, Identity and Displacement Research Network, and Co-convenor of the Olympic Research Network, Victoria University