In February 2014, three retired Minor League Baseball players brought a lawsuit against their former teams and Major League Baseball, claiming unfair pay practices. The case, Aaron Senne v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, is in the pre-trial phase, with no settlement in sight. The plaintiffs argue that MLB has violated the Fair Labor… Read more »
Caster Semenya , a South African runner, first came under scrutiny for her appearance in 2009. As the New York Times reported, the South African National Olympic Committee called in Semenya for testing. The committee did not tell her what the tests were for, and she did not consent to gender testing; nevertheless, she soon… Read more »
American professional sports have a tendency to get wrapped up in grand narratives. The N.B.A. star who was homeless in high school but now makes millions on the court. The baseball team that makes an improbable and unprecedented September run. The hat trick. The Cinderella story. The Hail Mary. Professional sports have also created the… Read more »
The NFL has been rocked by the recent public outcry against what appears to be a rampant rise in domestic violence cases. The issue came to the forefront public consciousness when Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice, was indicted on charges of aggravated assault against his then-fiancé and now wife, Janay Palmer. Suspended for two… Read more »
The American sports world is abuzz with conversation about LBGTIQA athletes. Last May, Jason Collins, a journeyman NBA basketball player, announced in a Sports Illustrated article that he was gay, becoming the first male athlete to do so in any of the four major professional sports in America. Then, this past February he became the… Read more »