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Colin Kaepernick - A star quarterback in the NFL for six years, Kaepernick sparked controversy by taking a knee during the anthem in the 2016 season, in protest of police killings and racial injustice.
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Colin Kaepernick - He recently posted a photo of himself in a Nike ad, with the caption, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
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Nike is making a move - Nike executive Gino Fisanotti told ESPN, “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward.”
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Eric Reid - Another former 49ers player, Reid joined Kaepernick in protest, and neither have been signed by any of the NFL’s 32 teams since their political actions. Both have filed collusion grievances against NFL owners.
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Serena Williams - The famed tennis player was among those who praised the ad, and at the US Open she said, “I think every athlete, every human, and definitely every African-American should be completely grateful and honored how Colin and Eric are doing so much more for the greater good.”
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Serena Williams - The champion athlete has also been a vocal advocate for both race and women's rights, and she likewise isn't afraid to call out racism in American health care.
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Backlash - The former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee tweeted that he’ll be on Fox Business, “but I will not be wearing any @Nike products. I guess @Nike will now focus on making knee pads for NFL.”
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Ibtihaj Muhammad - This fencer made history in the 2016 Olympics as the first female Muslim American to win a medal for the US and the first American to compete in a hijab. Naturally, she criticized Trump’s travel ban.
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Ibtihaj Muhammad - Trump's travel ban targeted refugees and immigrants from seven majority Muslim countries, but Muhammad argued its effect was much larger. "Even though I represent Team USA and I have that Olympic hardware, it doesn't change how you look and how people perceive you," she said.
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Stephen Curry - The Golden State Warriors guard and Under Armour-sponsored athlete took issue with CEO Kevin Plank who called Trump a “real asset” to the country in 2017.
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Stephen Curry - Speaking on politics publicly for the first time, Curry jokingly told The Mercury News, "I agree with that description," and continued, "if you remove the 'et' from asset.”
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Stephen Curry - As one of the best shooters in NBA history, and as a public figure whose signature line of footwear has helped boost sales of Under Armour basketball sneakers, this was a big hit to the brand.
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Misty Copeland - The star ballet dancer, also sponsored by Under Armour, wrote in an Instagram post that she “strongly” disagreed with Plank’s statement, that she takes her responsibility as a role model seriously, and she also urged the company to take public action.
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson - The Rock posted a message on his Facebook page on Thursday saying Plank's words "were divisive and lacking in perspective,” and added that great leaders are supposed to bring people together.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - The NBA legend formally endorsed Clinton in an essay where he claimed, “This election truly is a choice between hell and reason, and I want the best, most-qualified candidate to ensure that the United States lands on the right side of that battle.”
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - He remained vocal after Trump was elected, criticizing things like the travel ban for turning America into "a bad horror movie," as he called it.
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Mike Tyson - The undisputed world heavyweight champion has been loud in his support for Trump, including his appreciation for the president’s business career trajectory and his belief that Trump didn’t mean all those inflammatory remarks about Latinos.
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LeBron James - The three-time NBA champion is one of the most famous athletes on the planet, and he’s used his platform to regularly address social issues—including Trump’s travel ban, of which he said, "I am not in favor of this policy or any policy that divides and excludes people."
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LeBron James - James was largely apolitical in the public sphere before backing Barack Obama in 2008, but he elevated his political activism in 2016 by formally endorsing Clinton in a Business Insider essay.
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LeBron James - He's also said, “It’s important that we as athletes continue to use the platform we have to speak up for what we believe in.”
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Miami Heat - In 2012, members of the team, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, posed in hoodies and wrote on their sneakers in solidarity with the slain Trayvon Martin.
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St. Louis Rams - Following Michael Brown’s death at the hands of a police officer, five members of the St. Louis Rams raised their arms in a "hands up, don’t shoot" gesture before a 2014 game.
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Derrick Rose - Days after a jury decided not to indict the officer who choked Eric Garner to death in 2014, the NBA star wore a shirt on the court that read, “I can’t breathe,” Garner’s last words. More players soon joined him.
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Chris Kluwe - The former NFL punter was very vocal about gay-marriage rights, and he penned an essay for Deadspin in which he partially attributes his dismissal from the Minnesota Vikings to his advocacy.
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Chris Kluwe - In the essay, Kluwe alleges that a few members of the Vikings exhibited homophobic behavior, one of which was later suspended. Kluwe received no compensation, but the team donated to various LGBTQ causes. His essay ends, “Never be afraid to do what's right. If no one ever says anything, nothing ever changes.”
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Dennis Rodman - The retired NBA legend announced that he would travel to Singapore for the famous Trump-Kim Summit, tweeting, “To all Americans and the rest of the world I’m honored to call @POTUS a friend. He’s one of the best negotiators of all time.” Trump later announced that he was not, in fact, invited.
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Billie Jean King - The tennis legend, founder and president of the Women's Tennis Association, and the reason the US Open started paying women equally, became a symbol for women's rights in the '60s. She most recently campaigned for Hillary Clinton.
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Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers quarterback spoke about the Conflict-Free Campus Initiative at the University of Wisconsin in 2013, raising awareness about conflict in Congo and discouraging the use of products made with conflict materials.
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Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers told ThinkProgress about the platform he's been given based on his team's success and said, "I have a voice, I have an opportunity to tell people what I care about. And I care about this deeply, I care about making an impact in this world.”
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Devin McCourty - The New England Patriot and five of his teammates protested racism by raising their fists during the anthem, and announced that they would skip the White House visit where they were to be honored for winning the 2017 Super Bowl.
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Muhammad Ali - Before he died in June 2016, the former heavyweight champion of the world and peace activist dove into a political battle (not his first) and spoke out against Trump's proposed temporary "Muslim ban."
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Muhammad Ali - He said in a statement, "We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda. They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody."
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Muhammad Ali - Ali has always been very vocal about his beliefs, even famously rejecting the Vietnam War draft in 1967, which immediately stripped him of his heavyweight title.
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Tommie Smith and John Carlos - The US Olympic runners bowed their heads and raised their fists during the national anthem at the 1968 Mexico Olympics in protest of racial injustice. Despite having won gold and bronze medals, they were both suspended from the team.
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Tommie Smith - Smith continues to voice his support for athletes like Kaepernick. "Colin's made a very important and a non-volatile statement about the realities of the society in which he lives," Smith said. "I congratulate him and his beliefs of total parity."
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Kathrine Switzer - Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry in 1967, where someone actually tried to rip her bib off while she ran! Five years later, women were officially allowed to compete.
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Kathrine Switzer - In addition to changing the portrayal of women in sports journalism, she’s worked ceaselessly to improve opportunities for women in different parts of the world, consequently empowering women to take charge of their health and their rights.
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Abby Wambach - The retired soccer star and two-time Olympic gold medalist was very vocal about her support for the Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
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Michelle Kwan - The figure skater and five-time world champion formally joined the Clinton campaign as an outreach coordinator, hoping to see the first woman president.
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Carmelo Anthony - The NBA star of the New York Knicks marched with protesters in Maryland, demanding police accountability and racial equality in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death whilst in police custody in 2015.
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Megan Rapinoe - The Seattle Reign FC soccer star, and a member of the US Women’s National Team, also took a knee during the national anthem, among other athletes like Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins players Arian Foster, Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas, Jelani Jenkins, and more.
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Just doing it: Athletes who got vocal about politics
Is it time to stop separating politics and sports?
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Colin Kaepernick, the former 49ers quarterback who sparked controversy by kneeling during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice, has just been announced as the face of Nike’s Just Do It campaign. There have been responses from both sides, some applauding Nike for their decision, while others are calling for a boycott and burning their apparel. Either way, it’s clear that some people would rather sports remain separate from social issues.
Check out this gallery of the athletes who have the courage to speak up about what they believe in.
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