Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Megan Rapinoe & ICC
Every week we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT - MEGAN RAPINOE
The growth of the women’s football game is down in no small part to its popularity and success in the United States.
The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) is the most successful women’s national team in history, having won the Women's World Cup four times as well as the Olympic gold medal four times and eight CONCACAF Gold Cups.
Football is the biggest female team’s sport in the US, so it’s no wonder that they lead the way when it comes to women’s rights.
Front and centre over the past few years has been Megan Rapinoe, outspoken, determined, passionate and never afraid to speak her mind.
Rapinoe has used her profile to campaign for workers rights; LGBTQ+ rights and equality; police brutality and systemic racism; and equal pay for the women’s game.
The decision by the Supreme Court in late spring to confirm that it was reviewing the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which ensured the rights of women to make abortion a fundamental human right for half a century, sent shockwaves around the world.
Last week, the Supreme Court formally overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision which is expected to lead to a flurry of abortion bans across conservative-leaning states.
Rapinoe was put up for interview ahead of the USWNT’s match against Colombia and used her platform once again to express her concern for the developments
“It's hard to put into words how sad a day this is for me personally, for my teammates, for all of the people out there who this is going to affect.
"Pro-choice means that you get to choose. Pro-choice allows other people to be pro-life, if that is what works for them, or that is what their beliefs are, or if that is where they're at in their life.
“Pro-life doesn't allow anybody to make a choice. Obviously, you can understand from an individual perspective how difficult it is to live in a country where you have a constant, unrelenting, violent tide against you and onslaught as a woman.
"And it would be as a gay person and as a non-binary person, as a trans person, whoever this is going to affect because it affects a lot more than just women, or cis women," she continued.
"I am a cisgender, rich, white woman that lives in two of the most progressive cities in the world with the protection of not only myself and my resources, but this resource and this protection, as are all of my teammates. Not everyone is afforded that.
"We know that this will disproportionately affect poor women, black women, brown women, immigrants, women in abusive relationships, women who have been raped, women and girls who have been raped by family members, who, you know what, maybe just didn't make the best choice. And that's no reason to be forced to have a pregnancy."
Rapinoe explained that overturning women's healthcare provisions is not a "pro-life" decision, but about hurting women, who already have few support systems to keep their children safe, including high-cost healthcare.
"This way of thinking or political belief is coupled with a complete lack of motivation around gun laws. It comes with a pro-death penalty. It comes with anti-healthcare, anti-prenatal care, anti-childcare, anti-pre-K, anti-food assistance, anti-welfare, anti-education, anti-maternity leave, and anti-paternity leave. This is not pro-life.
"It's very frustrating and disheartening and frankly just infuriating to hear that be the reason that people are wanting to end abortion rights and end this vital aspect of a woman's not only healthcare and general basic safety in this country, but [also] her bodily autonomy, and the right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness and liberty is being assaulted in this instance."
"The entirety of the US government say to people's faces - to women's faces: "We do not care. We are going to force our belief system, which is deeply rooted in a white supremacist, patriarchal Christianity. We are going to force that upon you." First of all, your religion is a choice, and it is a belief that you have."
"Pro-life does not allow anything other than one very strict religious view and belief system to be forced upon everyone else."
Rapinoe ended the statement by reminding us that no one can obligate another person to succumb to their view, and the key to solving everything is love, respect, and autonomy.
"I encourage people to take a step back and come from a place of compassion and humanity and understand that just because I believe something doesn't mean everybody else has to.
"We all get to make our own choices, but ultimately we need to come from a place of love, respect, and autonomy to do what we feel is best for us," Rapinoe said at the end of the press conference.”
OL Reign, Rapinoe’s team, were swift to post their own supporting statement: ““OL Reign fiercely opposes the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and believes that every person should have access to reproductive health care.
“We are heartbroken by this decision and stand in solidarity with all of those impacted. By overturning this basic human right to body autonomy, our most vulnerable communities are impacted. This directly opposes our values at OL Reign and we are committed to fighting for equality.”
The NWSL followed suit, with Commissioner Jessica Berman saying: “The Supreme Court’s ruling today denies individuals in this country the full liberty and equality that is the cornerstone of a just society. Reproductive rights are human rights.
“Until every individual has the same freedoms as their neighbor, our work is not done. We will continue to make our voices heard. The NWSL is more than just a soccer league; we are a collective who will stand up every day for what is right.”
Other teams including NJ/NY Gotham FC, Racing Louisville FC and Angel City FC expressed their horror on Twitter and vowing to fight the decision until it is reversed.
The Supreme Court's decision came a day after the 50th anniversary of Title IX being signed into law as part of a landmark education bill which sought to bring gender equality to education by barring educational institutions that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of sex.
Rapinoe was one of over 500 women athletes that submitted a brief to the Supreme Court last year arguing that the effectiveness of Title IX was intertwined with the Roe decision remaining in place.
The USWNT beat Colombia last Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado and released a statement before the game: “As our women’s national team represents the US on the field today in Colorado, the occasion serves as a reminder of the rights and freedoms that women and their allies have fought for, earned and deserve.
“The Supreme Court ruling on 24 June is counter to the freedoms promised as a nation and as a people. US Soccer will advocate at every opportunity for human rights, including the right to make personal healthcare decisions as there is no equality without bodily autonomy.”
Rapinoe entered the game as a substitute to loud cheers with 15 minutes to go and admitted afterwards that she will continue stand up for the disadvantaged.
She said: “I think, as you guys have seen, the most powerful thing we can always do is show up and not only express our supreme skill and talent and joy on the field, but to be able to have that platform.”
Few can argue that she is fighting for those without the power of voice she enjoys - and all credit to her for doing so…
MISS – INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL
Women’s sport is belatedly getting the exposure and backing it deserves, with increased broadcasting coverage, new sponsors and investment.
Finally, young people have more female sports stars to admire and aspire to emulate and cricket is no exception.
Earlier this year, England captain Heather Knight backed the introduction of reserve days and five-day Test matches for women to compensate for weather delays and to cater for the growth of the game.
Knight’s side's last visit to Australia – for the 2020 T20 World Cup – was also impacted by rain, with a semi-final washout controversially ending their tournament due to a lack of contingency options in the playing conditions.
She said: “I think reserve days in Ashes and World Cups would be very useful, if they could be worked in, and potentially a five-day Test match would make things better for everyone – the players, the viewers – and make sure you don't miss the contest that you want to see.
"In a hotly contested series that might be tight, you don't want the weather to be the main story, do you? I'd be open to looking at different things."
As the global governors of the game, the International Cricket Council (ICC) need to do all they can to support all forms of the game, so it was a surprise when its Independent Chair, Greg Barclay, poured scorn on the idea.
"Absolutely, if they are going to play it, my personal view is they should have five days to play it in," Barclay said.
"If you look at the way cricket is going, there is no doubt that white-ball is the way of the future. That is the game that is sought after by the fans, where the broadcasters are putting their resources, and what is driving the money. Therefore, the counties that are developing women's cricket will focus on that.
"In order to play Test cricket, you have to have the structures in place domestically, and they don't really exist. So I can't really see women's Test or long-form cricket evolving at any speed at all.
"That's not to say they can't choose to play Test cricket, but I don't really see that as part of the landscape moving forward to any real extent."
Needless to say, the criticism came quick and fast.
Australian women's team captain Meg Lanning believes that the game’s governance should be more ambitious to include women's red-ball matches in the near future.
She commented: "We understand not every country in women's cricket is at the point where Test cricket is the main focus, and hopefully that can continue to develop over time.
“What was a touch frustrating was that we want to be ambitious and see what's possible. At the moment, we've got India, England and South Africa now playing as well.
“There are some opportunities there, and while some of the other countries aren't in a position at the moment to do that, that's fine, but I don't think that means we shouldn't try and push for that in the future and see what happens.
"It's about being open to the possibilities and being ambitious with where we want to go with the game. Hopefully in 10 to 20 years, there are ten countries that are playing Test match cricket, but it's not about it all happening right at this moment.”
Former Middlesex captain Isabelle Westbury was more scathing, tweeting: “Rly disappointing comments from ICC Chair Greg Barclay on women's cricket on @bbctms. Sounds like he's 10 yrs behind the game he's supposedly trying to run.“
No wonder veterans of the game have called for new governance for the women’s game.
Former Australian Test captain Raelee Thompson was vocal in her criticism: .
"To think that Mr Barclay just flatly refused to even consider women's Tests and that he didn't even acknowledge there was any history … I mean, we introduced overarm bowling … you have to know the backstory to do it justice and I'm afraid most of the men in charge don't have any idea.
"I see a need for a separate women's council to look after women's cricket … I think we'd still have to be part of the ICC, but that would be a much better fit, because the women understand the needs of the female players and actually value the history of what our forebears have done."
As we have said many times before, it’s not the crisis that causes the most damage, it’s how you respond to it, and the ICC have seemingly made no attempt to apologise or address the comments made by Barclay.
In fact, in a follow-up statement, they expressed surprise that women's Tests are even a topic of debate.
"To focus on the lack of growth in Test cricket is to ignore a huge section of the sport," said the statement.
"The growth of women's cricket is one of the strategic priorities of the ICC strategy and the game has grown significantly in the 17 years since its integration with the ICC…
“Test cricket can be played by Members, but the ICC has chosen to focus its investment on the white ball game to accelerate the growth and engage broadcasters and commercial partners so we can achieve a long-term sustainable future for the game. This investment has been fantastic for the women's game."
The fact that the ICC Chief Executive's Committee comprises of 19 men and just one woman, Clare Connor, by way of her position as the chair of the women's committee, speaks volumes about how important it sees the women’s game.
Since the ICC took over women's cricket in 2005, only 20 women's Tests have been played, compared to the first 71 years of international women's cricket, when Test series were played regularly.
It’s hard to see how the ICC can claim to have supported or developed women’s Test cricket, and calls for a new International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) will gather pace unless they address their systemic shortcomings.