Feel the game Sexual Harassment, Racism and Sports

CEBU, Philippines - Sexual harassment is defined as “any unwanted sexual attention, be it explicit or implicit, that is made a condition for favorable decisions affecting one’s employment or that which creates a hostile, offensive and intimidating environment.”

Further, the offender “does not necessarily have moral ascendancy, authority or influence over the complainant.” 

Aside from unwelcome sexual advances, it could be “verbal or physical behavior of sexual nature that damage and demean and likewise cause discrimination, insecurity, discomfort, offense or humiliation.” This definition applies to both men and women. Yup, men are harassed too.

This issue has divided the pro and anti-Azkals, with one TV personality who reportedly impregnated a sexually abused OFW, going to the extent of calling the team as pretenders to the brown race. Yeah, sure.   If his network got the rights to broadcast the games, he would be calling these athletes of mixed races as his relatives.

Charges have been filed and apologies were issued by the Azkals’ team manager. The allegations are serious there should be cleaning up of their ranks, if it does merit a cleanup, and the culprits given what’s due to them. The complainant is no ordinary personality and come hell or high water, it has no fury like a woman feeling molested.

The Azkals have gained cult following that even one female co-host of that blasted TV guy declared that girls would gladly throw themselves or something to that effect to these football jocks. Girl, you’re also a woman, you have irresponsibly degraded your species.

Reaching cult status does not give an individual or team the right to act like pricks. Members must police and control themselves because in this age of Simsimi, Magnum and Noynoying, their host country is still ridiculously conservative and they should and must learn to adapt ASAP.

So there you go. With the above premises, and the subsequent declarations from both sides, I give you the honor to decide whether the accused, two members of the Philippine National Football Team (who never issued any personal statements negating or affirming the allegations), and the accuser, a lady match commissioner, who happens to be an athlete and a former top official of the nation’s sports’ body, were correct in their different assumptions.

Racist remarks are not limited to sports as we hear them directed in almost anything that involves persons of mixed races.   But let’s stick to athletes this time.   From the Azkals to the PHL Rugby team, the Volcanoes and yes, a few dedicated to the Gilas basketball team, nasty comments had been heard. 

Can we not comprehend that these guys of mixed parentage were bred and trained overseas, thus far superior talent-wise compared to locally based athletes? The thing is, they opted to play and represent their mother’s country and that’s what matters.

This is the end result of frequent crabbing, of being envious and jealous of somebody’s success, whether that somebody has become famous or notorious or both. It’s not important what color your skin is, what name is printed at the back of your jersey. Bottom line is the flag on your chest and the name in front of the uniform.   PILIPINAS.

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We end Women’s Month tomorrow and as my little tribute to the most enduring species God has ever created, let me share some lines from Nancy Smith’s “For Every Woman”. 

“For every woman who is tired of acting weak when she knows she is strong, there is a man who is tired of appearing strong when he feels vulnerable. For every woman who is tired of acting dumb, there is a man who’s burdened with the constant expectation of knowing everything. For every woman tired of being called an emotional female, there is a man who is denied to weep and be gentle.”

“For every woman who takes a step toward her own liberation, there is a man who finds that the way to freedom has been made a little easier”.

The last line partly holds true for the origin of the term “Ladies first”. There once was a couple who had a forbidden love. They wanted to marry but their elders don’t agree to the union. To demonstrate their undying love for each other, they decided to jump down a cliff. The guy went first, the girl never followed. Thus my friends, the cliché was born.

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