Politicising Sporting Platforms: Personal Identity, Public Visibility and Advocacy During the 2018 Commonwealth Games

For two weeks every four years, elite athletes from the Commonwealth countries unite to compete at The Commonwealth Games. This is the pinnacle event for some sporting codes and provides an opportunity to showcase athletes’ superior talents while representing their country. Participation generates public exposure which in turn creates enhanced media visibility, improves commercial income prospects, and positions athletes as role models. For athletes with a socio-political agenda, such visibility provides a unique opportunity to capitalise on this enhanced exposure and leverage the event as their platform. However, risk accompanies forms of activism, and The Commonwealth Games have rules in place to prevent individuals from using these highly mediatised international sporting events as political platforms. Despite this, elite athletes at the 2018 Commonwealth Games used their social media profiles to raise awareness of socio-political issues. This research examines these social media actions and their flow-on effects, suggesting that when subtle forms of activism align with an individual’s unique personal identity, reprisal and risk, are mitigated. Dr Sharyn McDonald is a Senior Lecturer in Communication at Deakin University. Her current research focuses on the representation of public figures championing social issues. This builds on her previous research including the measurement of social impact, innovative solutions to societal problems through cross-sector collaboration and inter-disciplinary service learning. The later leading towards a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Contribution to 'Community Partnerships'. Sharyn is a member of the ‘Persona Celebrity Publics’ Research Group and is an editorial board member of Persona Studies.