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LeBron James dismissed Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s criticism of his social activism and pointed to the hypocrisy of the AC Milan star’s comments on Friday.
Ibrahimovic, whose time playing for his former team the LA Galaxy coincided with James’ first season with the Lakers, criticized James on Thursday in an interview with UEFA for Discovery + in Sweden, saying it was a “mistake” and that ” it doesn’t look good. ” “when James and other” famous “people get involved in politics.
“It was the same guy who said when he came back to Sweden … because his last name was not a certain last name, that he felt there was some racism when he was on the field,” James said. “I speak with a very educated mind, so I am not the right person to attack because I do my homework.”
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Several years ago, Ibrahimovic said he was subject to “covert racism” in his native Sweden because his Bosnian roots gave him a surname that does not sound traditionally Swedish.
“I am not Andersson or Svensson,” Ibrahimovic told Canal + in 2018, referring to what he considered to be racist treatment by the media. “If I were like that, believe me, they would defend me even if I robbed a bank. They would defend me, I tell you.”
James was undaunted by Ibrahimovic’s stance against him and explained why he tackles matters off the court the way he does.
“I would never shut up about things that are wrong,” James said after the Lakers’ 102-93 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday night. “I preach about my people and I preach about equality. Social injustice. Racism. Systematic voter suppression. Things that happen in our community.
“Because I was part of my community at one point and I saw things that were happening and I know what is still happening because I have a group of more than 300 children in my school who are going through the same thing and need a voice. And I I am your voice, I am your voice and I use my platform to continue to shed light on everything that may be happening, not just in my community, but throughout this country and around the world.
“So there is no way for me to get attached to sports because I understand how this platform is and how powerful my voice is.”
James went on to give credit to former WNBA player Renee Montgomery, who became a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream on Friday after the league pressured former Senator Kelly Loeffler, a Republican who opposed the racial justice initiatives of the WNBA players last summer, to sell their piece of the team.
“You can ask Renee Montgomery, if I had shut up and just dribbled [what would have happened]”James said, later referring to the two-time WNBA champion as a” beautiful black woman. “
James also credited Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints for their commitment to social justice issues.
“I am proud to be part of a generation where our voices are heard and the guys speak from a polite mindset,” said James. “But more importantly, when you speak from your heart, it sounds even louder.
“And we have a lot of guys speaking from the heart who didn’t believe they had a voice at one point or now they’re coming in and seeing that they can have a voice and that their voice really matters. That makes me proud.”
The James’ I Promise School in Akron, Ohio not only educates hundreds of at-risk children in its hometown, but also offers affordable housing, a meal program, and job training for student families.
His organization More Than a Vote was also instrumental in mobilizing more than 40,000 volunteers to work at the polls in the November general election in an effort to thwart voter suppression.
“As athletes, we have heard this for a long time,” James said. “Should [feel] privileged. You should be grateful that you can dribble a ball or run a soccer ball or be able to do the 100-yard dash or swing a baseball bat and things of that nature. You shouldn’t be able to talk about anything else. , it doesn’t matter if it’s right or wrong, you must. But that is not the case. That is no longer the case. As long as it’s close, it won’t be like this for a long time. “
Source: espn.co.uk
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