Sports have long provided a platform for diversity and tolerance. Jesse Owens, Bill Russell, and Jackie Robinson are examples of athletes who challenged the cultural norms and the prevalent prejudice at the time. There are countless examples of athletes over the years who have been prevalent in combating racism.
Some people may question the significance of sports and its role in diversity. Some people may think that sports are just a game. But sports, like art or other media, can be studied over time and people can see the clear progression in things like racial diversity compared from the 1950s to the present.
Mohammed Salah is an Egyptian football player who plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Liverpool F.C. The club has a worldwide reach and is broadcast into millions of people’s homes every week.
Salah the player is well accomplished and has broken many long-held records at the club and has become Liverpool’s franchise player. He is arguably the most popular player at the club due to his dominance on the field.
Social media, even with all its benefits, can be used to spread hate. Xenophobic, sexist, and racist comments are often spread when talking about sports. For example, many black players from the England national team have received racist comments due to poor performances over the past few years. This is a problem that many athletes and leagues have constantly spoken about because it affects so many lives.
Hailing from Egypt, Salah is a devout Muslim. According to recent survey data, just 15% of people in Liverpool classify themselves as Muslims. A majority of the population of Liverpool consider themselves Christians. Since 2017, when Salah was signed, there has been a significant decrease in hate crime in the local area. One study states,
“Using data on hate crime reports throughout England and 15 million tweets from British soccer fans, we find that after Salah joined Liverpool F.C., hate crimes in the Liverpool area dropped by 16% compared with a synthetic control, and Liverpool F.C. fans halved their rates of posting anti-Muslim tweets relative to fans of other top-flight clubs. An original survey experiment suggests that the salience of Salah’s Muslim identity enabled positive feelings toward Salah to generalize to Muslims more broadly. Our findings provide support for the parasocial contact hypothesis—indicating that positive exposure to out-group celebrities can spark real-world behavioral changes in prejudice.”
Looking at this example it is clear that representation from different cultures, whether that is race or religion, is necessary in the pursuit of a more tolerant world. Liverpool fans have taken to Salah in ways few other players have achieved. Chants and songs about Salahs Muslim identity are prevalent throughout the stands at Anfield (Liverpool’s Stadium).
One song hails Salah as their “Egyptian King,” while another sings “If he’s good enough for you, he’s good enough for me. If he scores another few, then I’ll be Muslim too. If he’s good enough for you, he’s good enough for me. Sitting in the mosque, that’s where I wanna be!”
Salah did not come to Liverpool trying to change people’s opinion of his religion. In fact, he rarely speaks about his private life at all. He is simply being the man he has always been and that is what has led to this decrease in hate crime.
In conclusion, sports can truly change people’s preconceived notions when it comes to diversity. Salah has made a significant impact on the local and worldwide community. As sports become more globalized there should be more stories like this in the future where tolerance is slowly replacing ignorance.
- Liverpool’s Egyptian King – by Carter Graham - April 6, 2024