How Sports Reflect SocietyHow Sports Reflect Society

Words by Amanda Pinatih, Gabriel Fontana and Rivkah op het Veld. Edited by Maia Kenney.

Sports are more than just competition — they are a mirror of society, reflecting its values, tensions and transformations. Whether on the field, in the stands or through media representation, sports shape and are shaped by the world around them. This is precisely why, in curating and designing this exhibition, we wanted to speak with sports journalist Rivkah op het Veld.

AMANDA PINATIH:
Hi Rivkah and Gabriel, thank you so much for joining this conversation with me. As a journalist and expert in sports culture, Rivkah, you have a keen eye for the ways in which sports intersect with identity, politics and social change. Your insights will help us unpack critical questions about how sports can serve as a lens to better understand our own society. In this conversation, we would like to explore the deeper narratives behind the game—beyond the scores and trophies—to reveal the profound social currents that shape both sports and our collective experience. Gabriel, I think it would be great if you could introduce your practice to help readers understand the concept of our project, SIDELINED.

GABRIEL FONTANA:
Certainly. I’m an independent designer specialising in Social Design, a discipline that explores how our physical environment shapes social interactions and, in turn, how social norms and beliefs influence the way we design spaces, objects and systems. By applying these principles, Social Design aims to address complex societal challenges and create more inclusive and meaningful ways of living together. Take sports, for instance. Beyond games, sports are also social arenas. In this context, the sports field can be viewed as an architectural space where various objects like gear and uniforms come together as a unique design system. These elements are pivotal not just in shaping interactions on the field, but also in influencing how we perceive and relate to each other. This impacts the very fabric of our society.

With this approach, my work combines design strategies, pedagogies and queer theory to propose alternative team sports. I use sports as a metaphor for society, where the idea of playing ‘against an opponent’ is usually the norm. A key focus of my practice is questioning the social values implicitly promoted by the sports we play. As Eric Zimmerman explains in Rules of Play, games—board games, video games or sports—are cultural objects that act as systems of representation. They embody and reflect the values, beliefs and ideologies of the societies in which they exist. Take football, for instance—the world’s most popular sport. Football serves as both a reflection of society and a powerful force that shapes it. Rivkah, as someone deeply immersed in sports as a presenter, how do you see football, or sports in general, influencing cultural norms and societal values? In your experience, what role do athletes, clubs and associations play in shaping conversations around inclusion and representation?

RIVKAH OP HET VELD:
Sports are all-encompassing in that they reflect—and can have a huge impact on—society. I love sports because of the stories surrounding them; they bring out the most beautiful and the ugliest sides of humanity. It is beautiful when a nation unites to cheer for their heroes during the Olympics, or when an athlete has a profound impact like American football player Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem, setting off a worldwide movement against racism and police violence. It is ugly when Kaepernick is unable to find a club to sign him after taking a knee.

My colleagues and I made a podcast called De Schaduwspits about LGBTQIA+ representation in professional (men’s) football. Because football is both a reflection of society and seen as the top of the food chain, it is important to see role models and positive behaviour specifically in this sport. We thankfully have seen more (male) role models recently. Think of Marcus Rashford, fighting childhood poverty in the UK. Unfortunately, when it comes to LGBTQIA+ representation, we are not seeing enough positive behaviour from individuals, associations or clubs. I think this reflects on the fans’ behaviour. If the clubs they visit or the player they cheer for does not condemn homophobia, why should they? We see an increasing amount of homophobia and transphobia, just as we do in the rest of society.

The difference between men’s football and women’s football—the sport I am personally most immersed in—is astonishing in many of these regards. Every single top women’s team in the world has LGBTQIA+-identifying players and many of the world’s best players speak out against homophobia. Queerphobia is generally not an issue in the world of women’s football. I would like to add that I make a binary distinction between men’s and women’s football in this case because I am talking about professional football, where the current division is that of ‘men’ and ‘women’. Nonbinary people and trans people unfortunately experience great difficulties within professional sports, because of current regulations and because of the way they are received by fans. I am happy to see that in amateur football, there are some spaces where everybody is welcome. And in 2021, Canadian football player Quinn made history by becoming the first nonbinary, trans footballer to play at the Olympics (and the first to win gold).

GABRIEL FONTANA:
You mentioned that football serves as both a reflection of society and a powerful force for social change. Nowhere is this more evident than in women’s football, which has not only grown in popularity but has also become a platform for advocating equality, representation and inclusivity. Beyond the sport itself, it challenges long-standing gender norms and inspires a new generation of athletes and fans. From your perspective, how has the rise of women’s football influenced broader societal perceptions of gender and inclusion? And as sports evolve, what role do design decisions—whether in uniforms, infrastructure or branding—play in reinforcing or dismantling these norms?

RIVKAH OP HET VELD:
Thank you, Gabriel, for giving me the perfect assist (pun intended) to keep talking about women’s football. For me, it is so much more than a sport— it is a way to change the world. Yes, many people—women, men and nonbinary persons alike—love it for what it is: an exciting and fast-growing sport. But for many of us, it stands for more than that. For feminism, for change, for agency. Not only have I seen players of the Dutch national women’s team turn into important role models, but I have personally experienced the impact football can have. In 2017, the Netherlands hosted—and won—the European Championship. It was a major turning point for the sport and I got to be a (small) part of it, following the team around as a reporter. Afterwards, I received a letter from a middle-aged woman thanking me for showing her that it’s possible for a woman to take part in professional football. Not just as a player, but as a reporter standing on the pitch. I am not telling you this to toot my own horn, but to show you that football is part of a bigger movement empowering women and minority communities. Plus: many of these women are not afraid to speak out against queerphobia, racism and sexism.

Shifting to Gabriel’s area of expertise—design—two examples of societal norms and the way sports are a reflection of society come to mind. The first being football jerseys, which for many years have been—and in some cases still are—designed only for men. Many women players have said that these jerseys are too big for them and fit awkwardly, affecting how they feel during a match and how they are seen by others. They feel less athletic and therefore less professional and attractive from a commercial perspective.

That awkwardness also extends to shorts—white shorts to be precise. Mostly designed by and for men, but worn by people who may feel uncomfortable and self-conscious playing in them when on their periods. These examples show how design affects both people and the space (commercial interests, the quality of the game) around them. How do you two view these issues?

AMANDA PINATIH:
This is absolutely a huge oversight. It highlights how design reflects societal priorities. It’s a reminder that design decisions, while seemingly small, can either empower or exclude. It shows that thoughtful design isn’t just about functionality; it’s about understanding who you’re designing for and challenging norms that overlook entire groups. The underlying issue is a lack of consideration for experiences and needs of bodies other than men’s bodies. I wonder how we could build a culture where those voices are not just heard by but lead design processes?

That brings us to another question: whose bodies are represented in the sports matches we watch? And who regulates who is allowed to participate? I’m thinking of boxer Imane Khelif, who was the target of a hate campaign on social media questioning her gender and the validity of her performances during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

RIVKAH OP HET VELD:
You can see the struggle many sports associations have. It’s not just nonbinary and trans people who are discriminated against; Imane Khelif and athlete Caster Semanya—both of whom identify as women—have attracted the most attention because according to some regulations, they have too much testosterone to compete in women’s sports. Decision-makers—mostly white, cisgender men—force people with certain DSD’s (disorders of sex development) to take sex verification tests and undergo hormone treatment, if they want to continue their careers as professional athletes.

To some extent, I can understand the struggle sports associations have in a world that has for centuries been divided into two gendered categories. But the reality is that these athletes have to deal with horrible reactions from the public. The hate campaign towards Imane Khelif shows exactly how sports are a more extreme metaphor for the ‘real’ world. Trans- and queerphobia are a growing global issue; we can see this in politics and on social media. In the latest season of our podcast De Schaduwspits, one of my colleagues went to a football stadium to ask about LGBTQIA+ representation. Most (straight, cis) people did not ‘mind’ gay or lesbian people, but were infuriated or terrified by trans and nonbinary people. And this, for them, stained the whole rainbow flag as a consequence. I realise this is not a positive note to end our conversation on. But it is a reminder of the amount of work that has to be done, and the importance of conversations like these. And that, at least to me, is a positive ending.

Words: Amanda Pinatih, Gabriel Fontana, Rivkah op het Veld
Editor: Maia Kenney