Skip to main content
A defining moment for the world of sport
Players who demanded justice for people killed by police must be applauded

As the year draws to a close, it was quick and easy to pick out the high and low points of the year.

The moment I heard about US university basketball player Ariyana Smith, it immediately became my sporting highlight of the past 12 months.

She started a movement without meaning to, without fear of the repercussions and without thinking about how much money she could make from interviews and endorsements.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
Reform leader Nigel Farage who is hoping to make inroads in Wales at polls this week
Features / 5 May 2026
5 May 2026

Plaid Cymru’s Caerffili by-election win raised hopes on the left — but the complex realities of Wales suggest the Senedd election may be far less predictable, argues CATRIN ASHTON

CONFORMISM v REBELLION: Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and Paul Robeson on a visit to London in 1958 Pics (L to R): Bob Sandberg/Public domain; PA
Book Review / 19 April 2026
19 April 2026

RON JACOBS recommends a book that charts the disparate circumstances that defined the lives of two prominent black Afro-Americans — one a communist, the other an anti-communist

Maccabi fans watch the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Midtjylland in Backa Topola, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
Gaza Genocide / 28 October 2025
28 October 2025

ROGER MCKENZIE argues that it was correct to ban the notorious Israeli side who were likely to cause trouble in Muslim areas of Birmingham, but asks, given the occupation and slaughter in Palestine, why any Israeli team is being hosted anywhere

Detroit Prowl's Toya Shinaul, from left to right, Kelly Bernadyn, Sydney Hebel, Jasmine Hamilton and Allie Gorcyca walk out for the coin toss at the start of an AWFL women's football game against the Lansing Legacy, in Allen Park, Mich., Saturday, May 10, 2025
Tackle Football / 24 June 2025
24 June 2025

LARRY LAGE writes about the growth of tackle football and how it provides female athletes opportunities in a game previously dominated by men