Athlete protests, like we may see at the Olympics, divide Americans along racial & political lines, an expert says.

Expert available to discuss public opinion concerning athlete protests at Olympics

The likelihood of athletes protesting during the Tokyo Olympics for various social and political causes has already stirred plenty of controversy – and pledges by the International Olympic Committee to draw a line over what is acceptable.

Chris Knoester, an associate professor of sociology at The Ohio State University, is available to discuss how the public is likely to respond to athlete protests. 

In a recent study, Knoester and his colleagues found that Americans are divided by race and politics over whether they believe pro athletes should be able to protest during the playing of the national anthem. 

“Sports are and have increasingly become a central part of the culture wars,” Knoester said. “Sports are not a neutral ground.”