People to Follow in 2021: Ilhaam Groenewald
Why this matters
Athletes around the world are moving into a future where they demand inclusion at the table where decisions are being made.
"Social Justice is a lot more than raising your fist, it's about making it a part of your culture."
Ilhaam Groenewald, chief director for Maties Sports at Stellenbosch University, has seen the transformation of race relations in her own country of South Africa. In thinking about this history that included apartheid laws that limited the freedoms of Black South Africans in particular, she notes that progress doesn't just come from one protest or one act. That it takes a concerted effort to change policy by not just those at the top, but by athletes too. Out of 2020, seeing a rise in athlete activism and Black Lives Matter movement, Ilhaam states that this is the direction that sports is moving - towards inclusivity and diversity - and if you are not part of this movement or don't want to see this transformation, it may be time to exit sport.
Follow Ilhaam Groenewald on Twitter (@Ilhaamg).
Watch more with Ilhaam Groenewald from Global Sport Matters
Monthly Issue
Predictions & Provocations for Sport: 2021
Although no one could have predicted all that 2020 has been, what lessons will the world of sport take into next year?
We asked some of the best and brightest minds to contribute their thoughts.
