Question

Athletics ia one arena where talking about ideas of inborn racial differences remains common. Why do you think some populations or groups seem to dominate certain sports but not others? What does it mean that the groups that dominate those sports have changed over time?

Answer 1

• In athletics, many stereotypes remain that African Americans dominate football and basketball simply because of their natural athletic ability. Many believe that they are naturally gifted, more than Caucasians and other races. Some statistics do prove this, majority of players in the NBA and NFL are African American. Black people have longer legs, relative to their height, which effectively gives them the physical advantages of a taller person, while at the same time reducing the amount of body weight their legs need to move.
  
• The Kenyan success in long-distance running may have something to do with the fact that the Kalenjin Kenyans come from a high-altitude region in Kenya. But, Kenyans from low altitudes don't do well in long-distance running, so it's not something special about being a Kenyan, it's something special about living at those high altitudes.
• As opportunities change in society, different groups get drawn into sporting arenas and depending upon, again, opportunity and training, along with individual motivation, that determines who becomes the champion.
• The discriminations have become less which has lead people from other racial and regional backgrounds to join sports,which was kind of dominated by one race. The increase diversities and opportunities being provided is bringing this change.Even thought genetic predispositions have been talked about being involved in a particular,now it is changing and people from various backgrounds are joining various sport since more training and awareness is their about sports.So,this dominance of a particualr racial group because of their genetic abilities,doesnt hold true anymore,since we find atheletes from various backgrounds now.