‘I don’t know if America would have picked me:’ athletic, national, and racial identities of the U.S. Men’s Kabaddi Team

Abstract

Prior research efforts have investigated distinct athletic, national, and racial identities in athletes, but there remains a need to connect these bodies of knowledge. This study asks: how do athletes who belong to a racial minority in their country negotiate their racial, national, and athletic identities when representing their country in international competition? To explore possible answers, I analyzed oral history interviews with Black members of the U.S. Men’s Kabaddi Team about their experiences at the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup in Ahmedabad, India. This study provides insight into the experiences and perceptions of Black athletes representing the U.S. on a world stage during a period in which many Black Americans felt especially oppressed and threatened by structures of power in the U.S.