Vol. 26 No. 282 (2021)
Courage, not shame
A few days ago, several sports newspapers stated in their headlines that the two MMA matches between a man and a woman carried out in Poland were a shame. Ula Siekacz and Wiktoria Domalska were defeated, but they will undoubtedly have another chance. They and other athletes are part of a generation that knows that if they want to obtain the greatest rewards they must face as equals (and defeat) the elite until today dominated by men. They try to emulate the achievement of Zhang Shan, who at age 14 beat his seven male opponents in the Barcelona '92 shooting final to reach the gold medal.
They know of the danger to which they expose themselves, but surely they are inspired by Edurne Pasabán (the first woman to reach the summit of the 14 mountains of more than 8 thousand meters in 2010) and by Valentina Tereshkova, the only cosmonaut who performed a mission on a solo ship up to date. This accomplishment was more than 50 years ago, and in addition Valentina contributed to a foreboding thought: On Earth, men and women are taking the same risks. Why shouldn't we do the same in space?
Athletes and fans perceive that the gender gap is decreasing, to the point that segregation in sports will become an anachrony in the coming decades. For this, sports women understand that they must prepare thoroughly to be up to the task and face and overcome rivals to get to the top.
Above all, they have to stand up to the most fierce, harsh and insistent adversary, which has more than three thousand years of practice: prejudice and discrimination. Daring to do so defines these combative women, for their bravery and for their dignity; and this is called courage, not shame.
Tulio Guterman, Director - November 2021
Videos Abstracts: access to the abstract videos page of this issue
Published:
2021-11-09
