Football, Soccer & Scrutiny

The recent imposed sanctions by FIFA and college football leave me questioning my position on the issue as a whole. The governing bodies for soccer (FIFA) and football (NCAA) have recently chosen to ban the—for lack of better words—boisterous acts of (primarily Brazilian) soccer players, and college football players, like former Florida Gator quarterback, Tim Tebow. Soccer players have had a history of wearing shirts and undergarments, beneath their jerseys, with religious content. When scoring a goal, the player would remove his jersey in celebration, and in a public spectacle reveal his religious beliefs. Football players, in a more indirect manner, have used their ‘eye black’ as a medium to write scripture verses and other sayings, leading the audience to quickly (for better or worse) form an opinion either way.

Now I totally understand, and respect the platform these athletes hold. In many ways they understand that the position they have been granted is at best short-lived. Furthermore, they realize that many viewers won’t go to church but will; however, frequent the sanctuary of sport—I get that, and embrace it. But I also understand the position that both the NCAA and FIFA are in. They, as the governing heads, have the ability to dictate uniforms and dress of players. Essentially they are seeking to eliminate any statement or display thereof—albeit religious, political, or personal in nature—that could serve as a distraction from the game itself.

It concerns me though in many ways. The potential repercussions or the viable extent to which these bans could serve as a foundation for future decision-making are very real. Could they essentially dictate the content matter that athletes and coaches are able to talk about during pre-game and post-game press conferences? Could they possibly breach constitutional rights:  free speech, freedom of religion, etc.? Our forefathers have fought, and died, for the very rights that these institutions may be infringing on…

Now I’m not saying that their decision-making is right or wrong. In my search for an answer, I think of Christ’s life. He always, in an uncanny manner, made people think twice. He lived life intentionally. Never was He concerned with answering questions ‘politically correct;’ moreover, His life itself often challenged other’s thinking simply because He went against the grain of normalcy. Yet he always respected, even though He didn’t always agree with, those in authority and showed deference to their governance. In a similar way, we need to follow the example of Christ (both on and off the field of competition), and live in such a manner that begs questions from onlookers—regardless of bans or dress codes…as actions do speak louder than words.

Editorial