Athletes are collateral damage in Russia's war with Ukraine, according to Taylor McKee, a researcher committed to analyzing the socio-cultural intersections of sport and society. He discusses how, since 2014, the story of the Russian invasion plays out in theatres of sport as well.
In this interview, the discussion focuses on the upcoming Olympic games in Paris, what could play out there, considering the Russian invasion, as well as the general practice of political expression at the Olympics by athletes and the public. The Era of Boycotts in the 70s and 80s is also reviewed, and the failure to boycott in 1936.
Dr. Taylor McKee is professor and researcher at St. Catharines. Ontario, Canada. He has published on topics including Olympic History, Sport and Residential Schools, Hockey History, Monuments and Historical Memory, and Masculinity in Hockey.