Athletes take arms in Ukraine

With the conflict in Ukraine, pro athletes have returned home to defend their homeland. Would the same be expected from American athletes?

Ted Williams paused his professional baseball career to fight in WWII. Pat Tillman felt so compelled by the events 9/11, that he left behind a contract extension in the NFL to join the military. Athletes joining the fight to defend their country is not a new concept.

But, what is happening in Ukraine feels, different. Very famous athletes in the peak of their athletic prime are dropping everything to support their country. Boxers Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksander Usyk are among the names of athletes that returned home.

America is much different in that the professional leagues here are where players come to play from around the world. So, there really isn’t a parallel. Lebron James would never have to decide if he should come back home since he plays in his home country. And America has never dealt with an all out war being brought here.

But, would the expectation be that athletes, or famous people in general, return home to fight? Muhammad Ali famously protested the Vietnam War and was stripped of boxing license as well as facing prison time. While there were more layers than just “draft dodging” at play there, Ali was looked down on by many American citizens for that decision.

It is admirable and commendable that these Ukrainian athletes feel it is their duty to defend their country. Most would love to live their lives even for a day, and they are putting that luxury and glamor at risk for what they feel is the obvious choice.

There really isn’t a right answer. War itself doesn’t always, if ever, feel necessary. But, defending yourself does. And this is the choice that the Ukrainian athletes are making. Thankfully, American athletes aren’t having to answer this question. And hopefully they never will.