Strictly Random Thoughts That Have No Connection With Curling

 

It took a long time for this to happen but the major sports leagues appear to have finally come to terms with their platform in regards to social justice.  It did take a long time for them to get on the right side of this one.  For long periods of time, they would turn a blind eye towards steroid use, addiction, mental illness, domestic violence, etc.  They pretended that it didn't exist in their leagues and even worse they used their platform to cover up stories where this existed.  Through an awakening of social justice issues, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, the PGA and other major leagues have realised that they are just a collection of individuals who are representative of larger society.  So, they realise they have players and staff that struggle with issues that plague society such as addiction and mental health concerns. They realise that they will have some "bad apples" that will have problems with the law. If a story breaks, they are not happy about it, but they also do not cover it up.  They understand that they want to be on the right side of history so they offer supports when appropriate and condemnation when appropriate.  It is very real right now but some leagues even have players who are anti-vax or don't support league restrictions.  They don't give these players special considerations but they also allow them to speak their minds.  What stories are out there are up to the media.  It is in nobody's best interest to look the other way if they have a perpetrator of domestic violence playing in any of their leagues.  We hear of the odd story of a front office denying media availability to a reporter who consistently writes negative stories, but those are odd stories and are quickly quelled if a reporter makes it public that they are denied media availability.  

So, those are the major sports leagues.  Like I said, it took time for them to evolve.  Just like reporting of politician's lives.  A couple of generations ago, JFK apparently had extra-marital affairs.  Allegedly, the press knew about them but didn't report on them. This wouldn't happen today. We all know that.  Their whole lives are subject to be reported in the press.  

I wonder about the leagues of the so-called marginalised sports such as rugby, cycling, horse-racing, or curling.  Are they so evolved?  Do they understand that there are likely a few "bad apples" in their sports as well? Would they ever try to cover up a negative story about one of their players?

As it happens, I am not a follower of rugby, cycling, or horse-racing.  I am a curling fanatic, so, I guess I am really asking these questions specifically of curling.  In essence, then, I am wondering these questions specifically of the World Curling Federation or Curling Canada. 

Surely, they wouldn't cover up a negative story of a player.  Surely, they would understand by covering it up, it would be similar to condoning the behaviour.  Since, by their silence, there would be no condemnation.  

I am sure they know the same information that is known by the general public.  We hear, for example, for that every impaired driver that gets caught, many more get away with it.  

We also know the power of the #metoo movement or #timesup movement.  We know that for years, many victims did not speak their truth, for a variety of reasons.  They thought they would not be believed, they thought that their perpetrator was too powerful, they thought they were the only one, they thought that their perpetrator was untouchable.  We know that the silence of some victims led to other victims.  A victim going public and being believed likely prevents some future victims.  

If they knew about a player who had more than one allegation against them, surely they would realise by covering it up, they essentially be victim-blaming.  

I am not naive enough to believe that all curlers are angels.  Curlers are people.  There are bound to be some bad apples.  I am more concerned that I have not heard a negative story in the press.  It makes me suspicious.  Of course, I don't want anyone's life to be ruined but I don't want anyone to be free from the consequences associated with bad behaviour.  

If the press know of stories that they are choosing not to publicize, then shame on them.  They need to think of who they are protecting and how this may be affecting the vulnerable.