Why black people don't play badminton?

Discussion in 'General Forum' started by mettayogi, Dec 16, 2006.

  1. mettayogi

    mettayogi Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2005
    Messages:
    315
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    SF bay area
    I just heard National Public Radio talk about black people don't think of swimming as 'their' sport, and it occurred to me that I don't see any black people in international badminton tournaments (ok, so I didn't watch enough to be certain).

    If you watch US baseball or basketball, you will see many black atheletes. It was not always like that. When the first black baseball player was inducted into Hall of Fame (in the 60's?), it was a big deal. The face of Tiger Woods means golf has arrived for black.

    So why don't we see black people playing badminton? It will be interesting to see what change they will have on playing, etc. Will we see a Michael Jordan for badminton in our life?
     
  2. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    21,811
    Likes Received:
    23
    Occupation:
    Surfing, reading fan mails:D, Dilithium Crystal hu
    Location:
    Basement Boiler Room
  3. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    The short answer: because it's expensive.

    Of course, plenty of black people do play badminton (I know some), but probably the proportion of black people who play badminton is extremely low.

    Generally, the sports that black people excel in are inexpensive. Running doesn't require special equipment. Basketball and even baseball can be played outside with minimalist equipment to a high standard.

    Of course, there are plenty of affluent black people. But again, black people are proportionately much less wealthy than White or Asian people, even in affluent countries such as America or Britain.

    For a badminton court to be locally available requires a certain amount of nearby affluence. Many black people live in poorer areas and consequently have limited access to the courts. And to play badminton, you have to be able to pay the court fees (and don't even think about buying feather shuttles).
     
  4. Lobber

    Lobber Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2004
    Messages:
    205
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Singapore
    I believe it also have something to do with their fellow peers.
    As you know,their peers in school,at works or anyway are not as actively involved in badminton as compared to other races.
    Thus,they will tend to choose sports/activity that their peers are active in.
     
  5. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    21,811
    Likes Received:
    23
    Occupation:
    Surfing, reading fan mails:D, Dilithium Crystal hu
    Location:
    Basement Boiler Room
    it is politically sensitively topic which is why i didnt dwell on it too deep before. Badminton as all know officially originated from lord badminton, a rich socialite in britain. Even today, one find true badminton clubs and courts within private clubs ( except recent trend around SoCal area). No queston, the best players come from these private clubs and they play feather exclusively. I am seeing more blacks playing badminton now but at recreational level. I think the trend is changing but at a slow pace so we don't notice it that easily. So is hockey too and why one dont see much blacks in this sport as well. (of course calgary has the jerome Iginla http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarome_Iginla :) )
     
  6. Glacyus

    Glacyus Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2006
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    MD, USA
    I would say that the overwhelming reason is cultural. Black families do not encourage their children to play badminton. Peers do so even less than parents. One reason might be the hardships they have had to endure as a people have steered them towards what they believe to be tough sports. Toughness is valued in black communities, and I am sure that individuals turning to badminton would be ridiculed and singled out.
     
  7. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    21,811
    Likes Received:
    23
    Occupation:
    Surfing, reading fan mails:D, Dilithium Crystal hu
    Location:
    Basement Boiler Room
    yes, cultural plays a big part as well. I think all of the above reasons explain why blacks has extremely low representation in badminton.
     
  8. Tianjin

    Tianjin Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2006
    Messages:
    126
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Canada
    The same reason why asian people don't play american football. It's just influence imo.
     
  9. CoolDoo6

    CoolDoo6 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    London, UK
    What you have said comes across as very strange. In London at least, badminton is neither an fluent sport nor a sport that particularly lacks black players. Perhaps you are not seeing many because the black population in your area is relatively low.
     
  10. Glacyus

    Glacyus Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2006
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    MD, USA
    Lol I can't resist, but I'm sorry, Asians don't play football because chances are they would get creamed. Not being racist, just realistic. What is the average height and weight of most Asians?

    Larry Allen bench presses 700 lbs. raw; Randy Moss runs a 4.25 40 yard dash. Good luck.
     
  11. CoolDoo6

    CoolDoo6 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    London, UK
  12. CoolDoo6

    CoolDoo6 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    London, UK
    Or, the reason could be the asians as well as many other people don't get how they can play a foot's ball with hands. So they do away with the sillyness and play rugby instead. Here is the evidence of asians playing rugby:

    http://www.hkrugby.com/
     
  13. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2002
    Messages:
    21,811
    Likes Received:
    23
    Occupation:
    Surfing, reading fan mails:D, Dilithium Crystal hu
    Location:
    Basement Boiler Room
  14. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    4,642
    Likes Received:
    298
    Location:
    Surrey, UK
    London's ethno-economic profile hardly represents "the black average". (This is a good thing for London. I believe it's one of the best examples of ethnic integration. Huzzah for immigrants, say I.)

    The black average is rather better represented by Africa. That's where most black people live, you know. With the possible exceptions of South Africa and Egypt, I don't think badminton would be economically feasible as a mass-participation sport anywhere in Africa (and in those countries, it would probably be whites, indo-asians, and arabs making up the "mass").

    Even in London, black people are economically disadvantaged compared to white people (also educationally, which certainly does have something to do with culture, I'm afraid, based on my knowledge of the Oxford Access scheme).
     
    #14 Gollum, Dec 16, 2006
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2006
  15. Eurasian =--(O)

    Eurasian =--(O) Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2004
    Messages:
    1,158
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    aujerbajan
    black people are more suited for footbal basketball b/c they are larger on average as well.
     
  16. bananaboy

    bananaboy Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2006
    Messages:
    616
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    business owner
    Location:
    alberta/Canada
    :rolleyes: American football is nothing more than a gang brawl... and you ever wonder why it is only popular in North America only, really...:rolleyes: If we allow physical attacks on the opponent or even own partner during a badminton game, I bet it will be popular in the U.S as well...:p

    I still don't understand why they call it "foot"ball, when mostly they carry the ball with their "hands"???:confused:

    Average height and weight for most Asians are shorter and weight less than other culture, but at the same time there are more overly fat people in other culture as well... have you seen some of them today, since you live in the U.S???:D
     
    #16 bananaboy, Dec 16, 2006
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2006
  17. Crazypeetee246

    Crazypeetee246 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2006
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Miami
    Also - to further Gollem's point - Americans often view football and basketball as a get rich alternative. I live in Miami, and yes most African Americans do not live in affluent communities. I think they see success (and money) in a future of football and basketball. Its quite amazing how much these people (professional ballers :D ) make. Also, you hear a lot about these kids that live in the poorest of the poor and make it into the NBA. And then give back to their community.

    About the whole body characteristics of asians versus african americans...I think a bigggg part of it plays into motivation from cultural stereotypes. African Americans have had this whole "oh they're fast cuz they're African American." Whereas Asians don't have the pressure to fit that athletic mold. (But we do have that genius mold to fit :rolleyes: ) Maybe its a combination of motivation and genetics?

    Wasn't there a Chinese man who won the olympics in that running jumping over obstacle competition? (Maybe hes just an anomaly)

    -Just my 2 cents-
     
  18. CoolDoo6

    CoolDoo6 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    London, UK
    If you want to cherry pick only the successful black athletes from africa, then I guess you will have to conclude black people hardly play any sport.

    Sporting success is more to do with government investment than to do with economics. This is easily illustrated by the success in badminton of a relatively poor country like China: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html

    For whatever the reasons, African countries place little emphasis on investing in the badminton sport, consequently they don't achieve success. It has nothing to do with the black people being too poor, too tall, too big, too short, or whatever other reasons. Same could be said of the american government's lack of interest in badminton. Surely we can't be saying that american's don't do well in badminton because they are poor and under privilaged ?

    Badminton is alive in its own way in africa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa_Badminton_Federation
     
    #18 CoolDoo6, Dec 16, 2006
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2006
  19. Glacyus

    Glacyus Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2006
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    MD, USA
    I won't post a whole argument to defend the merits of American football, but I'll just say it's quite misunderstood. There are tons of nuances, and strategically much more complicated than badminton. Casual viewers or those unfamiliar with the sport only see a pile of bodies, yet there is much more to it.

    That's not to say I dislike badminton, it's my favorite sport to play by far, but it's tiring to see so many people from the rest of the world bash American football due to lack of knowledge. Plus, I hold this view despite not having been born in the U.S.
     
  20. CoolDoo6

    CoolDoo6 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    London, UK
    Not to be funny. But coming from someone like me who knows little of american football, the sport resembles more a multiple pile-up on the motorway than anything else. One can't help wondering if these players should be wearing their seat belts.
     

Share This Page