"Politics is now seen not only as inappropriate in sports, but actually antithetical," says Zirin. "We so want to see sport only as a playing arena and not as a serious arena. But here's the problem, this can devalue not only the greatness and relevance of sport to us as a society, but also the courage of the athletes ". The quest for fame, wealth and status can blind human consciousness. This is why it is important for us to encourage athletes to express their opinions. As a nation, we must not silence our athletes, because it is the truly courageous athletes who have the audacity to stand up when it is socially unacceptable. Sports should be used as a platform for a certain type of politics like militarism, nationalism and human rights. A few athletes stand out as political advocates of their time who were not afraid to express their opinions: Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson and Billie-Jean King. There is a rich tradition of resistance to politics in sports, but their actions are an integral part of the country's fight for racial and gender equality; sport is a safe place to discuss these difficult topics and is therefore essential. Muhammad Ali is an example of an athlete who expressed his political ideologies in sports to champion the civil rights movement and protest the war. As an Olympic gold medalist, heavyweight champion and many other victories, he has used his fame to project his humanitarian efforts. Ali refused to serve in Vietnam due to his religion and as a result he was stripped of his 1967 title. He retired in 1981 with an incredible 59 wins and five losses, but he will always be known as a symbol of courage, will and strength, not for his career milestones, but for breaking the race...... middle of paper... ...al Museum of American History. March 26, 2012. .Wenn, Stephen. “A Tale of Two Diplomats: George Messersmith and Charles H. Sherrill on Proposed American Participation in the 1936 Olympic Games.” Journal of Sport History 16 (1989): 27-43. Whitaker, Matthew C.. African American Sports Icons: Triumph, Courage, and Excellence. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008. Winslow, Barbara. “Title IX Historians’ Perspective.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. March 25, 2012. .Stergios, Jim and Joshua Archambault. “Mixing sport and politics.” The Washington Times. March 26, 2012. .Zelizer, Julian E. “Sports and political surveillance mix.” CNN. March 26. 2012. .