Great Sportsmanship at the French Open
By Ken Reed
Too often, big-time college sports and professional sports seem to be driven by nothing more than win-at-all-costs and profit-at-all-costs ethos.
That’s why it’s so refreshing to see examples of great sportsmanship like we did last week at the French Open when Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro consoled his opponent, Spain’s Nicolas Almagro, after a knee injury forced Almagro to retire.
Del Potro walked over to his opponent’s side of the court and hugged Almagro, who was devastated about having to concede the match and depart the French Open. Del Potro called for water for his opponent and then helped Almagro leave the court. He then sat on the sideline bench with Almagro to try and comfort him emotionally. Del Potro then helped Almagro pack his tennis bag and walked off the court to the locker room with him. The crowd gave both men a rousing ovation.
The two men were tied one set each and 1-1 in the third at the time of Almagro’s injury.
“I tried to — I don’t know — tried to find good words for that moment,” said Del Potro.
“I told him to try to be calm. And I told him to think about his family, his baby. And sometimes the heart is first than the tennis match or the tennis life.”
Sport at its best.
— Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans
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Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- League of Fans Sports Policy Director Ken Reed quoted in Washington Post column titled "What happened to P.E.? It’s losing ground in our push for academic improvement," by Jay Mathews
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
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