» Response to “Minority Report”

An article caught my eye in the most recent issue of Triathlete Magazine. The author was discussing stretching triathlon across racial lines. To the author, I have to say, what the f#*$ are you thinking?

The last time I checked, triathlon was sport that spanned the entire globe, with events being held everywhere. In fact, correct me if I am wrong but in the most recent Beijing Olympics, there were 37 different countries represented in triathlon alone. I am thinking what racial lines? Why are there even racial lines? Who decided they are even an issue? I guess the author of “Minority Report” did.

Let me tell you my opinion. Race in triathlon is not an issue, and the fact someone thinks it is, means they are looking at people and seeing their skin color, and cultural differences more than the “content of their character”.

When I show up to a race, training ride, or interval session on the track, you want to know what I see? I see people who have come to improve themselves, to compete and better themselves. I don’t see that guy with an accent, the guy with darker skin, or red hair. They are simply people, triathletes who share the common bond of sport with myself and countless other people. We enjoy the same things, share the same roads, and run on the same track.

By implying that race is an issue, you are suggesting that some people are less than, and some people are more than. In school I was taught that all men are created equal, were you out sick on that day in grade school? You create this divide, which until it was mentioned made no difference to me. Now people are out there, contemplating the color of the skin of their training mates, where beforehand they saw them as a training mate, a friend in pain and suffering, and could share the mutual happiness of finishing an event.

I understand that the sport is trying to grow, but reaching out specifically to certain ethnic groups perpetuates an idea of inequality, that is just silly. A person is a person, regardless of ethnicity, disability or income bracket. It also translates to triathletes; they are simply triathletes, regardless of ethnicity, disability, or income bracket.

Did you ever stop to think that some people prefer other sports to triathlon just because they like other sports better? I played hockey when I was younger, because I preferred it to other sports. My friends played lacrosse, football, baseball, played in the jazz band, because they liked doing those things instead of hockey. I never once stopped to think that their heritage was the reason they chose certain activities; I just thought they were people with different interests than myself.

When everyone has crossed the finish line, they are “Ironman Finishers”, “70.3 Finishers”, or even “sprint triathlon finishers”. The medals and t-shirts don’t say “Indian Ironman Finisher” or “Chilean Triathlon Finisher”. We are all, “Triathlon Finishers” no matter what.

Written by Chris Berg