Millions of people will cheer their nation at the Paris Summer Olympics. Others shake their heads at its cost. Do the Games still serve a purpose? Torchbearer Didier Drogba of France holds the Olympic torch to light the cauldron at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille,...
To succeed in the “beautiful game” in much of the world, you just need to prove yourself on the field. Not so in the United States, where you pay to play. The author driving the ball during a soccer game. (Photo courtesy of Gabe Stryker) This article, by...
The Olympics are the pinnacle of an athletic career. But after athletes step off the podium a deeper challenge awaits. Who are they when the uniforms come off? Olympic rower Christine Roper (frontside) hugging her teammate as they celebrate their gold medal victory....
For South Africans, winning the Rugby World Cup united a nation torn by politics, race and inequality. That’s the power of sports. South Africa’s Siya Kolisi lifts the trophy after the Rugby World Cup final match between New Zealand and South Africa at the...
New Zealand plays South Africa in our home base of Paris this weekend for the Rugby World Cup. To many, rugby is incomprehensible. Here’s all you need to know. Players scrum during the Rugby World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa at the Stade...
Picking the world’s toughest sport is a tough game to play. Let’s see if you agree with our correspondent’s conclusion. Spoiler: It’s not football. A traceur leaps in the air practicing parkour. Photo by TIGER500 courtesy of Parkour...
There are health benefits to an active lifestyle. But if you like to sit in the stands or watch from the sofa, perhaps a different kind of workout takes place. A man watches a football game on television. (Credit: Tarik Kızılkaya Getty Images Signature) This article,...
Tennis pros can leverage social media to win lucrative endorsements. But they can also be the target of abuse that threatens their mental health. Naomi Osaka reacts after missing a point during a tennis match in Madrid, Spain, 9 May 2019. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)...
Social media platforms, not mainstream outlets, shape how many young people see the world. Naomi Osaka, one of the world’s best and most recognizable tennis players, has skillfully leveraged social media to build a sizable and loyal fan base. When she snubbed the mainstream media at the 2021 French Open, many of her followers glimpsed only a vulnerable young woman, harassed and persecuted by the mainstream media. Rachel Roth of The Hewitt School has provided a more nuanced look at Osaka’s relationship with the press, which has both hounded and enriched her. Roth interviewed former top tennis pro Patrick McEnroe and a Columbia University professor to produce a well-rounded account of Osaka’s rocky rapport with journalists.
Exercise: Ask your students to choose a social media star from entertainment or sport and look at how the image of themselves that they cultivate on social media compares with coverage in mainstream media.
Are sports stars pampered youth not mature enough to handle wealth and fame? Or do journalists pick on them? The truth is in the middle. Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka attends a press conference in Osaka, Japan, 15 September 2019. (The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP...
I got my start as a news photographer in the analog age. Technology has reshaped the tools of the trade, but human trust remains its watchword. The author’s photo of the Jamaican bobsled team crashing at the 1988 Winter Olympics, as published in the New York...