As we discussed yesterday, Maria Sharapova received a two-year ban on professional tennis after she admitted (after she tested positive) to using a banned substance. Sharapova’s version of the verdict is that the ITF found that she did not intentionally use banned substances, that it was all some big misunderstanding. But if you read the full decision – you can see the PDF file of the decision here – you might realize that the ITF investigated Sharapova thoroughly and they had many good reasons for implementing the two-year ban. Still, most people aren’t going to delve that deeply into it, especially because Sharapova is going to appeal the decision and she’s still fronting like she really didn’t do anything wrong. What’s surprising is that so many of Sharapova’s sponsors aren’t delving too deeply into the ITF’s decision either. Many of the sponsors are sticking with her. Shock of shocks.
Maria Sharapova has found support from sponsors after being given a two-year suspension for failing a drugs test at the Australian Open. Sharapova has vowed to fight the ban, announced by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday, after she tested positive for prohibited substance meldonium and high-profile sponsors Nike, Head and Evian are standing by the Russian, with Nike lifting the suspension they imposed on their contract when news of her failed drugs test emerged in March. At the time of the failed test, the sportswear company said it was putting its eight-year, $70m deal on hold. But in a statement on Wednesday night, it said that it had decided to continue working with Sharapova.
“The ITF Tribunal has found that Maria did not intentionally break its rules. Maria has always made her position clear, has apologised for her mistake and is now appealing the length of the ban,” read Nike’s statement. “Based on the decision of the ITF and their factual findings, we hope to see Maria back on court and will continue to partner with her.”
Sharapova’s racket provider Head never wavered in its support of her, citing her as a “role model and woman of integrity” at the time of her failed test and proceeding to extend her deal. On Thursday, Evian said in a statement: “The ITF tribunal concluded that Maria Sharapova’s contravention was not intentional. Following this announcement, Evian has decided to maintain its long-lasting relationship with the champion.”
Two of Sharapova’s other sponsors, watchmaker Tag Heuer and luxury car brand Porsche, have been less supportive. Porsche suspended activities with Sharapova following her failed test, and will now wait for the verdict to her appeal to the Court of Arbitration to Sport. The company said in a statement: “We have taken note of the recent International Tennis Federation ruling in the case of Maria Sharapova and are especially aware that it was decided that she was not accused of intentionally violating the World Anti-Doping Code. As Maria will appeal the decision, we will continue to keep all activities with her on hold until the final judgement has been reached.”
Tag Heuer announced in March it had decided not to renew Sharapova’s contract, but has not ruled out working with her again in the future. Cosmetics brand Avon are also severing ties with Sharapova but insist that is not because of her doping ban. A spokesperson said: “Avon’s relationship with Maria Sharapova was a limited engagement that focused on one of our fragrances. The engagement is set to expire and we had not planned to extend this relationship regardless of the current situation.”
The biggest deal was Nike, because that’s her most lucrative contract, and I’m absolutely shocked that they’re sticking with her. While Sharapova has always been more of a model than a professional tennis player, surely it’s bad business for an athleticswear company to continue spending tens of millions of dollars on an athlete banned from her sport following a thorough investigation? Surely it would just be easier for Nike to sever ties with Sharapova – for good cause, mind you – and start over with another player?
And of course there’s a larger conversation to be had about privilege and what the reaction would have been if one of the Williams sisters had tested positive. Can anyone say that this would have the reaction if Serena was in this situation?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
We all know how it would shake out if it was Serena. Dispicable
Yep. The skinny white girl just made a mistake.
But is this more about race or about looks? Would Victoria Azarenka get a pass if she did this? Would the tennis world treat Serena differently if she looked like Kerry Washington?
@Locke Yes. Next?
Seriously, Serena’s features may not be your cup of tea, but Venus is prettier than Sharapova and Venus got and gets equal hate online just because of her skin color. And Nike wouldn’t hesitate to leave her high and dry either. Nice try tho.
–TheRealPinky
It was just a few times GNAT!! Much like the”20 mins of action” must be nice to have the privilege to f**k up so much and get pass after pass but black people breathe the wrong way and they could end up dead
Yes this is about race. We all know it and Serena has spoken on it. There’s no reason Serena should make less in endorsements than Sharapova who frankly is not a great player.
Nice try what? I was just asking. I’m not that familiar with the tennis world or with racial issues because, as I said here a couple of times, I’m from a place that’s 99.99 % white. I just feel like a white tennis player who isn’t as pretty as Šarapova wouldn’t be let off the hook as easily. But if I am wrong, I do apologise.
@Locke Lamora
I’m sure her being pretty didn’t hurt, but Serena is very pretty, too, and she would have been slaughtered.
I have seen you bring up this before, you’d think by now you’d educate yourself.
I am also from a majority white country but I have educated myself on these issues and I now know better. You are an adult, you can educate yourself if you want to. It doesn’t cost anything. The choice is yours.
Fine, then I was wrong, I am sorry. I apologise. I feel like I am educating myself, but sometimes I feel like not everything is primarily about race. I though this was more down to looks. Now I know I was wrong, I will know better next time.
I had to google Venus but no I don’t find her prettier than Maria. She’s average
looking , at best AS pretty as Maria, but no Kerry Washington! Maria isn’t particularly pretty for a celeb but she is prettier than most tennis players. She looks a lot better with the right make up and (clothes, hair) styling. See the pic Lainey used of her yesterday. Nice legs too.
@GNAT
I think It is about race, because Sharapova is not spectacular in the looks department. She’s mainly coasting on being leaner and blonde vs williams who is more muscular and black. Sharapova face isn’t model quality or leading lady if you are talking fashion or movie industry.
Venus williams has the same lean tall body and i would say the same level of prettiness as sharapova but she is black so she was never that marketable.
For a black girl to be as marketable she would have to be a spectacular beauty and probably light skinned. Yes if Serena looked like Kerry Washington she would probably get all the best contract. So yes imo its absolutely about mainstream standards of beauty ( european) and race absolutely plays a part in how that is perceived.
@locke. Yes ur right.
But also serena did have a ban a few years ago but it was just a silent ban. Everyone in tennis knew. Serena said it was a knee injury but a day after her “surgery” shes in high heels at the mtv movie awards. Thats y she kept doping she thought worst thing to happen is a silent ban
@LOCKE LAMORA The pile on here is unnecessary and mean spirited.
People outside the US do not view things as racially as some Americans do. I don’t believe you have anything to apologise for, you simply made a valid point in relation to your world view and asked an innocent question.
Keep asking your questions, most Celebitchy commentators will answer you honestly and respectfully from their own countries unique perspective. How else can we learn from each other.
Sorry @GNAT i don’t know why i addressed my post at you, it was obviously for @Locke Lamora
@Rosie
As a european i very much disagree. Talk to POC in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, the netherlands and ask them how they view things and you won’t be thinking that. Racial problems is not specific to the US. The US just has more powerful black voices and organisation so the problems of POC are aired in the mainstream much more. Also americans often seem more educated or at least less afraid to talk about these issues then the general european person
Wow – you are all attacking @Locke but I think she/he (???? sorry) posed a valid question. Didn’t Nike stick by Tiger Woods or am I mistaken? I honestly have no idea but I think I remember that? Anyone?…….
I don’t recall about Tiger Woods. I thought he pretty much lost his endorsements, but I’m not sure. But I do agree that Locke Lamora didn’t have a hidden agenda, but was just asking a question.
Nike is still with Tiger, which I’d forgotten about.
I don’t think that Locke has a hidden agenda, but for those of us in the US, race and racism is often at the forefront of business decisions like these, but for someone like Locke, it’s not.
Tiger cheated on his wife, while shady as all get out he did not fail a PGA drug test that lead to a years ban.
Tiger woods didn’t fail a drug test. Completely different scenario.
BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT. My hard earned cash will not be going to any of these companies.
My answer to all of this boycott NIKE and the others. No company is too big. Why is this girl treated differently, I feel that her peers will not be pleased.
Puma didn’t drop Serena when she and her sister were accused of match fixing (the outrage was so crazy that spectators demanded their money back). There was no retribution when Serena shouted to a linesman that she would “shove a ball down your throat.” Granted, it’s not the same as doping, but violent threats and cheating accusations are still pretty bad. This saint Serena thing really has to stop. She has mellowed A LOT in the past few years, and it’s frustrating that a.) people don’t realize how unpleasant she used to be, and b.) assume any bias against her racial. That said, Sharapova has always been and reportedly still is unpleasant. The two are not mutually exclusive.
If Nike took months to debate whether or not to drop Ray Rice (the guy who punched his wife and dragged her unconscious body from the elevator), I’m not shocked it didn’t care that much about Sharapova’s doping.
+1
Thank you. I’m really annoyed by all the Serena worshipers who dismiss her past unforgivable behavior just because, apparently, she’s a woman. Anyone who threatens to kill someone over something so trivial as a call in a tennis game is not a role model.
Se
” This saint Serena thing really has to stop. She has mellowed A LOT in the past few years, and it’s frustrating that a.) people don’t realize how unpleasant she used to be, and b.) assume any bias against her racial. That said, Sharapova has always been and reportedly still is unpleasant. The two are not mutually exclusive.”
So you’re saying, that Maria’s current unpleasantness so bad, yet we should “never forget” about Serena’s past behavior? Sounds pretty dismissive to me. Just because you make a passing comment about how Serena has mellowed out over time (It’s called learning from one’s mistakes) doesn’t lessen that
Most athletes, and humans in general aren’t saints, doesn’t change the fact that she is the better player, regardless of her past and Maria’s present.
She lost her temper at a ref in a high adrenaline situation under stress when she was younger. Her behavior is not excusable, but it is certainly not unforgivable. We see male athletes behave like jackasses all the time, and we don’t hold it over their heads forever or let it affect their earning status. All bias against her may not be racial, but the fact that a woman who has more or less primed to be regarded as a legend of her time makes significantly less money than a blonde white woman convicted of cheating is pretty glaring.
This is straight up bullshit. WhenTiger Woods had his ex marital problems all of the sponsors got up and left. This woman takes DRUGS and it OK. Is this want the good old US of A has come to. Corporate America is condoning drug taking.
“Sharapova has always been more of a model than a professional tennis player” – No. While this scandal puts a cloud over her career, Šarapova has never been more of a model than a proffesional tennis player. She was the world no. 1, she’s an Olympic medalist, she has 5 Grand Slam titles, for God’s sake. She’s not Ana Kurnjikova.
If it’s about accomplishments why does she get paid more than Serena Williams?
I didn’t say the sponsorships are about accomplishments because they are not. But you can’t reduce Šarapova to “more of a model”.
I’m so happy someone said this. Sharapova has consistently dominated on the WTA tour for years and years. Yes, Serena is better (IMO), but that doesn’t take anything away from Sharapova’s achievements and her dedication. She put in the work and got the results. She was a tennis players first and a model second. – It’s just sad for the sport to see that she played fast and loose with the anti doping rules.
+1
Except she is not a champ and she didn’t work hard. She cheated. And is a doper who got banned substances (in the US) from a foreign doctor (known to help athletes dope for performance). She got caught and lied, poorly. There is nothing champion about her. All of what she accomplished is because she cheated.
And yes, everything she earned was because she looked a certain way. AND WAS A CHEATER.
Nike is suing and athlete for MLLIONS for breach of contract because he wore a differnece branded outfit. Guess what he looks like. Sharipova isnt being asked to do the same. Wonder why?
@gyrlbye I can’t believe I am saying this because I actually never liked Sharapova as a person and hate her behavior and her grunting on court. Ugh. But the “model” comments irked me. So here goes:
Unfortunately we will never know how much she would have achieved without using banned substances. But a) all results obtained before January 2016 were without doping. Meldonium was not on the prohibited list then, and for that reason all the other athletes could also have been using Meldonium. Because doping results are not made public if there is no violation – end meldonium wouldn’t have been a violation before 2016 – information of whether other athletes were using it will not be disclosed.
b) it’s possible to both use doping and to ALSO put in the hard work. You don’t become world number 1 JUST by doping.
@gyrlbye Until december 2015 the substance found in her body was allowed, so yes, Saharapova cheated, but for taking this particular drug after it was forbidden, she wasn’t caught on dopping before and therefore, we can’t judge on her achievments.
No not a model. A bona fide champ. Roger Federer gets more sponsorship than Novak Djokovic I believe: Roger has, from memory, won only one slam in the last seven years, Novak is on fire, go figure. But Roger is still one of the best paid athletes in the world. Many people just don’t particularly warm to Novak. I am sure there is some racism in the Maria / Serena sponsorship situation. And some comments made about Serena in various fora have been horribly racist. But while I have tremendous respect for Serena’s ability and achievements (how could you not?) , I don’t like her very much (I’m sure she’ll cope). It’s not racism. I feel the same way about Roger, and back in the day, Ivan Lendl. Crowds really didn’t like Lendl. They generally loved the late and great Arthur Ashe. The subjective factors will always come into it. Maria is not particularly likeable, she comes across as cold and isn’t popular with her peers. But the other factors outweigh it. It’s capitalism. It’s the market. It’s not purely merit-based. Not fair, but when was it ever?
Except Roger has 17 Grand Slam titles and holds many records in the game. Much more than Djokovic. He is a legend for all that he’s achieved in the sport even if he’s no longer at his peak. He will sell products forever just like Michael Jordan can 20 years after he stepped off the basketball court. The Sharapova/Williams situation is very different.
Djokovik may be the number 1 right now but as Luca76 says he doesn’t rank anywhere near Federer in the record books. So i don’t think that is a good example. Federer and williams are the two players of this last decade that are generally considered the greatest. So in actual fact your example is just another case of why Williams is being treated differently than others.
Denying that it has something to do with race, also feels like denying that there exist a european standard of beauty that is seen as more marketable and sharapova just by being white is simply closer to that beauty standard than Williams.
You cannot possibly compare the Sharapova/Williams dynamic to the Federer/Djokovic dynamic. Federer is still the player on the men’s side who has won the most grand slams. He spent a record 302 weeks as world number 1. He has a claim to being the greatest ever (Djokovic is becoming part of the conversation too I’ll admit). That is why Fed gets paid the big bucks.
Also as a Fed fan I just had to say that 7 years ago was 2009. Fed won two slams in 2009, one in 2010 and one in 2012. So although he may not have won a slam in a while, to say he has one only one slam in 7 years is a bit off! 🙂
You are quite right, after 2009 Roger won one slam in 2010, and one in 2012. But I stand by my basic point. You can’t legislate for popularity. Martina Navratilova was never as popular as Chris Evert / Lloyd despite having a much superior record. She – shock horror – was also an out lesbian. You can’t force people to like people. In sponsorship, the demographic of the market is the determinant. And I’m not dismissing race as a factor: but I don’t think it’s the only one. The current worldwide outpouring of affection for the late Ali surely demonstrates that. I think Serena’s sponsorship situation is a combination of her being a POC, of her playing agressively (so unfeminine doncha know) and appealing less to grassroots girls and women players who are still largely white and middle class.
Both Evert and Navratilova won 18 grand slams apiece. So once again it’s not exactly similar to the Sharapova/Williams dynamic. I get your point – that accomplishments don’t always bring popularity and that this affects sponsorship. I just don’t necessarily agree think that either example you chose illustrates that.
+1
Is there such a thing as a non-doping Russian athlete? She cheated big time and then tries to claim that the poor little girl didn’t know what she was doing. Give me a big old Russian break!
White Pretty Girl privilege is the best performance drug out there! Too cute to fail!
No, she’s not a Kournikova…. but she’s also a player who is very long past her prime but is still paid like she’s a #1 contender, and that can be firmly laid at the feet of her appearance.
Very disappointing
OH Nike would have dropped the Williams sisters like a hot biscuit. My guess is that Nike will eventually (quietly) drop her. I don’t know of any athlete of color that would get this kind of favoritism.
No they wouldn’t if they find Serena marketable which she is.
Nike didn’t drop Michael Vick , Tiger Woods, or Kobe Bryant who last I checked none of the above were white.
I doubt they would drop Serena because she is a draw.
Nike doesn’t pretend to have a moral compass(I’ll give them that) just one that involves $$$$$
The minute any of these people don’t help Nike or anyone else’s bottom line they are history.
Kournikova, who was never anything but blond, worked for them forever. Of course Nike is going to stick by their “golden” child.
They are complicit in tarnishing the reputations of athletes then quietly disappearing if and only when someone better pops up. What a way to set an example. F them.
–TheRealPinky
Kournikova was sponsored by Adidas most of her career. Did she at some point switch to Nike?
I think Adidas dropped her after she slowly faded out of radar.
Kournikova was very promising as a teen and reached the Wimbledon semis. But whether she just didn’t progress or was derailed by the attention, she never became the champ Sharapova was.
She was no. 8 at one point, and no. 1 in doubles, so she was pretty good, but most of the attention was because of her looks.
I’m pretty sure kournikova always was and still is sponsored by Adidas… Not Nike.
I saw Anna plat, she had game to be ranked 7th, she had game but not ambition for it, she seemed to hate being there but the money was coming in when men sold out her games to get a peak. These companies endorse u when they can see their bottom line sky rocket. Sad.
I am utterly shocked how these brands go on supporting her.
She brings in $$$, unless she did something really bad they won’t stop. These r the same companies who have sweat shops n WE buy their products
She’s a pretty blond. Of course Sharapova gets to keep her contracts. If this was the Williams sisters of course there would be a lifetime ban. Also Sharapova is a tennis player. She remained top 10 most of her career and has several Grand Slam titles. Calling her a model is unfair. Anna Kournikova, a Russian player about 10-15 years ago, was definitely a model a not player. She’s married or long time girlfriend to Enrique Iglesias
Ana Kurnjikova.
Can I ask why you keep writing her name like that, Locke? I looked it up and Louise177 seems to have spelled it correctly.
That was not the spelling the media used, Locke Lamora, so I’m not sure how we should know that that is the “right” spelling. Until you told us. To be consistent I should really change my pseudonym to the native Irish – ainetomas…
I think Locke’s using the Croatian spelling. Transliterating from the Russian to English Anna Kournikova is usually used, and is what AK uses on her IG account.
And Locke also spells Sharapova as Šarapova (first named would be spelled Marija I think) because that’s how she spells it in Croatian.
@ Locke Lamora, her own family chose the English spelling of their name, and she used her English name (Anna Kournikova) throughout her tennis career. There’s no need to correct others for using the same name she always has in our press.
I thought I was replying under a comment that said ” a player who was all about looks, I can’t remember her name” so I replied that it was Ana Kurnjikova or Kournikova. I just realised I put it under the wrong comment or the poster later edited it. I didn’t mean to say it was spelled wrong. It’s just the way her name is spelled in my language because it’s originally in cyrilic, I guess, and I didn’t look up the correct spelling, I wrote it automatically. My bad.
No, Anna Kournikova is correct version. Get your facts straight
Lama- the original name is in Cyrillic and there are several different transliteration schemes in common use to get the names into the Roman alphabet used by English. You will see the same variations in Asian names and Arabic names etc. – whenever the original name is written in a different alphabet. So the spelling is correct. There are simply several equally correct spellings.
Also different European languages will transliterate Russian etc. names differently because they transliterate according to their own slightly different alphabets and different ways of hearing the names.
Just do it, Nike! Drop her lol
If I, a lowly teacher in the midwest, had heard about the ban on the drug, I’m meant to believe this elite athlete (whose playing/winning over other athletes who didnt have that advantage) was allegedly fueled by this performance emhancing drug, just ‘missed’ the memo. Right.
She has handlers, pr people, coaches, computers, smart phones. Evidently hid the use from doctors, so not medical either.
Kaiser, didnt even think about white privilege.
I don’t like to believe the outrage would’ve been worse, but unfortunately its still innate in the culture.
Again, this was a med she took for over a decade, even as a child for her heart cond. It was banned 2-3 weeks before her testing. Which they always knew she wax on it, no secret. Why ban her at all for a drug that is not a performance enhancer? IMO, most athletes take something,only because they have not been caught makes no did, they’re tested on banned products n with so much money at hand, they can cover quite a bit. I recall Lance Armstrong, denied it till he was blue then got caught.
The ITF decision states that she knowingly took performance enhancers for a decade. She was on a cocktail of 30 different medications at one point. By the rules, she should’ve been banned for four years, not two. I am interested to see how long these companies hold out when the leaders in her sport are openly calling her a cheat.
Ugh, I don’t want to defend her, she’s a drug cheat and if she was less photogenic or less white, there’s no way these companies would stand by her. But I think it’s wrong to say she’s more of a model than a tennis player. She has had a very successful career on the court, she’s a five time grand slam champion, an Olympic silver medalist, a former world no. 1; just because she has a very successful off court career too shouldn’t diminish her achievements. (The fact that she was on PEDs should.)
Lance Armstrong’s life was ruined over doping, and he is a white male. Why try to pit races against one another when you don’t have to?
Lance Armstrong kept his career and sponsorships for decades before it fell apart. And they fell apart because the evidence was too hard to deny, the supplier was going on trial and turned coat, everybody hated Armstrong for being so cocky, and other white guys had had enough of him.
Sharapova had better cozy up to the rest of tennis if she wants a prayer’s chance in hell to make out as well as Armstrong. Because once some male tennis stars or cute, unimposing female star starts on her, she can and will then be replaced. Until then, tho, collect your millions for not playing tennis for two years when you’re injured anyway and not in your prime and will never be able to win another slam.
–TheRealPinky
We aren’t pitting the races against each other. We are observing reality while you choose to bury your head in the sand. Lance Armstrong was believed for DECADES in spite of mounting evidence against him until it was absolutely impossible to deny he had spent his entire career cheating. This gave him the opportunity to ruin the careers of several people who wouldn’t cooperate with his cover up. Had he been black, the allegations against him would have been believed at once. That’s not something we are doing. It’s the truth we are trying to expose.
I’m unconvinced that a narrative of racism need to have been inserted here.
Well, that’s what you want to believe, and you’re determined not let facts get in the way, so carry on.
+1 GNAT
You’re just presenting facts and being realistic. It’ll make people uncomfortable of course because it’s much easier to claim that racism isn’t there.
And think about the massive investigation that it took to FINALLY derail his career. Yes, a white male was busted for doping and lost his contracts… but only after being so in-your-face for so long, and for bullying so many people, that others were finally willing to go on the record against him. I think the phrase is “the exception that proves the rule”
Re: my comment that she was “more of a model.” While Sharapova did have a successful career (a career that now has an asterisk) in tennis, there was simply no reason other than OPTICS (ie, she’s white, blonde and pretty) for Sharapova to be the richest woman in tennis. Serena Williams has nearly four times the number of Grand Slam titles and awards but Serena has half of Sharapova’s advertising contracts. Sharapova was a better model/businesswoman than a tennis player.
She is a better bussineswoman but let’s be clear, this is entirely on Nike, Evian and Head. Any attempt to vilify Sharapova takes the optics in the wrong direction. People should be mega pissed with the money people that make the policies.
The world of sport should be an example of integrity. Right now, the people with money are supporting an athlete that cheated. What will the young athletes aspire to?
Honestly, I hope these three sponsors take severe hits for this stuborness, the world of sports is already going downward.
“The world of sport should be an example of integrity” – this is the funniest thing I’ve read all day.
The moment money comes into play, integritiy goes out of the window.
als was making the point, I think, that it should be, not that it is.
Or blame capitalist society. Nike is supposed to act in the best interest of shareholders right?
That may be true. Without a doubt Serena should have been out earning Maria for years. But that doesn’t make Sharapova more of a model in my book. 5 grand slams is a pretty impressive feat – definitely puts her in the tennis player category. Apart from Serena (who is in a league of her own) nobody else on the wta right now has close to as many slams as Sharapova.
Why…it’s almost as if Nike never cared about her athletic ability when they hired her!
http://www.vox.com/2015/9/21/9334215/equality-of-opportunity
I’d like to share this for those disheartened by the unfairness here. Another way to look at it
That was an eye opener. Thank you for posting it.
well said, Kaiser.
“I am sure there is some racism in the Maria / Serena sponsorship situation. And some comments made about Serena in various fora have been horribly racist. But while I have tremendous respect for Serena’s ability and achievements (how could you not?) , I don’t like her very much (I’m sure she’ll cope). It’s not racism.”
Please kindly GTFO with your casual racism that you have the (white) privilege of saying is not racism. It is racism. Just because you don’t understand that racism can be more subtle than calling someone vile names doesn’t make it “not racism”.
Here’s a hint: if it’s Capitalism, then it is also Racism. The two go hand in hand.
So if someone dislikes Serena Williams for any reason, that person is a racist? That viewpoint is racist in itself. And capitalism is NOT automatically racism. What a ridiculous post yours is.
This ^^^ @ Sylvia
@Robin continue to live in ignorance.
Thank you Robin – that quote by Sylvia was from me. Sylvia, I have no intention of GTFO – I have not heard the acronym before but I can guess what’s it means. I am not a racist. I dislike various famous people for all sorts of reasons, many of them no doubt illogical but none of them based on race – other tennis players I am not keen on include, as I said, Federer and Ivan Lendl. Nor could I stick Jimmy Connors. To suggest that it is impossible to dislike a POC on grounds other than their race is totally irrational and quite patronising. Is it compulsory to like domestic abusers like Mike Tyson or Chris Brown? Is it racist to find Bill Cosby a horrible man? If you go down that road, it’s anti – Semitic to criticise Woody Allen or Roman Polanski. Of course it’s not.
While I cannot forgive your dislike of Federer, I support absolutely your right to like or dislike whomever you choose without having to put on the Racist dunce cap.
This is getting beyond ridiculous – how on earth this thread become about Serena and how in the world does not liking her constitute racism?! This is borderline racism and full-on hysteria speaking!
Well said.
Two years without having to have to listen to her scream with every stroke, that’s a huge relief. I’m schocked they’re sticking with her but she’s a leggy blonde – most people probably WANT to believer her explanations (which are pretty absurd anyway). She looks pretty average on the top photo – take away the makeup and professional photography and she’s just another girl next door.
So because @Annetommy doesn’t care for Serena (neither do I), she’s racist? She can dislike 2 white guys and it’s cool, but not liking one black woman means you’re racist? I haven’t forgotten all the verbal abuse and threats she lobbed at line judges among others.
I have to agree. And I don’t have a strong opinion on Serena. But she’s done some controversial things. If some one “just didn’t like ” Kerry Washington who is gorgeous, NEVER controversial and quite private you could think it’s racism. But once you are slightly out of line or “pushing it” in any way it’s reasonable someone won’t like you. Katherine heigl Megan fox come to mind. And apparently Maria is widely disliked (before the doping scandal) for grunting and for going after Nike money that was rightfully Serena’s .
Are you unfamiliar with the way that people have spoken about Serena over the years? The reality is, you can’t discuss Serena Williams and whether or not people like her and not discuss racism. That isn’t to say that anyone that doesn’t like her is automatically a racist, but don’t dismiss the fact that her race is absolutely a factor in Serena’s public image and fandom.
Bridget, I’ll submit it isn’t so clear that Serena’s “race is absolutely a factor” in her public image. Serena was very badly behaved for a very long time until … well, not even that terribly long ago. That bad behaviour moderated people’s perception of her game – correctly or incorrectly, i’ll leave to you to judge.
She’s only started to play (conduct herself) on court like a top shelf tennis player in the past few years (5 or 7? can’t be sure) and I’ll submit that that’s when people really sat up and noticed that she’s a top shelf tennis player.
Some of her reception might be tied to racial politics, but some of it “absolutely” is her own behaviour.
As for Sharapova not being liked – it is true. She is one of those people who comes to the stadium to a job and she doesn’t pal about with the other tennis players. That’s long been her philosophy – like it or not, that’s what she says she needs to do to maintain her ability to go after her opponent on the court. It is what it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPPqE-MA7Mo
While many of the folks here, including myself, aren’t down with Amy Schumer, her “Amy Schumerenka” sketch satirizes this PERFECTLY.
BOOOOOOO.
mistake/accident or not, an athletic apparel company should support NO athlete that dopes. or cheats. or does not 100% personify what is held as the ideal in sportsman like conduct.
she doesn’t fit that ideal in any way. her mistake isn’t her fault in her words. way to own your actions 🙄
so many professional athletes with their support teams constantly trying to out-drug to outperform each other and as long as they stay ahead of the regulations it is ok? what’s wrong with playing to the best of your natural ability? what damage are they inflicting on themselves in the long run?
who cares -because $$$$?
at least porsche is waiting to see and it makes sports cars, not brands and sells the image of superior athletic ability.
no lessons taught or learned here. no consequences for making the wrong choice.
and yes, if she was (even slightly) browner they would have dumped her.
smh Nike. BOOOOOOOO!
My guess is she didn’t make money for Porsche- that’s why they’re dumping her.porsche and Nike have responsibilities to their shareholders. It’s not an exact science but that’s their goal
Yes, I don’t care for the, ‘It’s not cheating if your drug use predates notice’ argument. Whatever extra edge she got from the drugs didn’t magically kick in the day they were banned, they were giving her an unfair advantage for ten years.
+1 Poppy…
People are holding on to the ‘shove the ball down your throat’ incident like grim death. If Maria can say she’s sorry and get an, ‘Aw, there, there, have $70 000 000, poor lamb’, people can accept that Serena apologised and move on. Tennis is filled to the brim with hotheads and we have seen exponentially worse behaviour on a semi-regular basis from many other players but people are determined to make that one moment when she lost her cool the sum of her entire career. You would think that she had actually made good on her outburst. Given all of the garbage constantly shoveled her way, in the grand scheme of things I’d say she’s been overwhelmingly patient, but she’s the one person who isn’t allowed to have a bad day. People have said and done far worse to and about her and her sister for the better part of 20 years and it’s demanded of her to sit there and take it with a smile but the moment she gets angry about something it overshadows everything and everyone else.
If you want to focus on the ball, also focus on the NYT Times article, the Indian Wells incident, the insults she gets from her colleagues and predecessors who say she’s devalued the sport because she has the gall to not be wafer thin and white. Focus on the fact that she gets paid pennies compared to Maria, the way that even when Maria has so monumentally messed up, the conversation always swings around to Serena’s complete failure as a person because of this human moment when her anger got the best of her. Focus on how she has to hear all of the same insults directed at her sister, focus on how she can’t enjoy any of her successes without someone in the peanut gallery on television reminding her that she doesn’t really deserve it, or the way that every day she has to hear how masculine she is.
Maybe you have to be a black woman and have all of this stuff (albeit on a much smaller scale) said about you and done to you to get it.
Everything 🙌🏾
Lots of delusional people in the comments.
Do people dislike John McEnroe for saying mean things on the tennis court? Not to the same degree that they do for Serena, who hasn’t lost her temper anywhere near the amount he did.
There is both sexism and racism in why people dislike Serena and the fact that she is not the conventionally attractive skinny athlete that most female tennis players tend to be.
The facts show Serena to be on a level that no one else can currently match and possibly the best ever (although Navratilova has some records Serena likely won’t get to beat). Serena is 34 and is still dominating women’s tennis. So many people cannot accept that.
It is disgusting that Nike is still endorsing a cheater while Serena still doesn’t get near the endorsements this blonde player does.
John was, and is a little shit. Of all of the people to say that the Williams sisters have a bad attitude it had to be the Troll King of the Courts, but then again, it’s almost everyone else, too so it’s a numbers game. He really lost some brain cells doing all of that blow with Tatum O’Neil. This is how he talks about someone actually likes, so, ugh, I don’t want to be the person he dislikes. It really only seems to be Martina Navratilova who likes and respects Serena without these lame qualifications.
Anyone who is surprised that Nike is sticking with Sharapova doesn’t know much about Nike and their lack of ethics.
I’m wondering if Nike and the rest are betting on how quickly we as consumers forget. We do have short memories when it comes to athletes/celebrities and their foibles. Didn’t we just have to look up to see if Nike dumped Tiger?
Doping is becoming so common in sports that it’s almost a non-issue if someone is caught. Sure, they get banned for awhile, fined, get a slap on the wrist, the fans are forgiving and excited to get them back on the field/court. I think Lance Armstrong will be the last huge doping scandal among athletes.
While I definitely think racism is involved, I’m astounded that cheating isn’t regarded as completely unacceptable; cheaters should not be role model!!. That they don’t get this disgusts me, and I WILL be writing Nike a lett r explaining why I won’t be buying their products. Put your money where your mouth is!
Regardless of her sportive accomplishments (I have no idea) and her looks (I don’t find her pretty) the logical consequence of doping is losing endorsement deals.
How can she represent a brand if the whole world knows that she is a shady person?
I am seriously considering banning Nike items from my shopping bag and I hope to find this subject heavily discussed by the press again.
WADA can’t even prove meldonium enchances perfrmance, most doctors say it doesn’t. lol. They don’t even know how long it stays on the body. People have been using it fo decades and they knew it and never belived it helps in anything. Pretty sure the drugs American athlets take will be safe, ugh.
that last picture is when the smile you give when you want to come off as a feminist role model–ceiling breaker female but WHITE PRIVELEGE is LYFEEE
#ButIfITWASSerena
*keeps the mansion*