‘Bosses’ Sports: A Menace to the Working Class’ by Fritz Reisner (Secretary, Red Sport International) from the Daily Worker. Vol. 3 No. 66. March 30, 1926.

THE Red Sports International has proclaimed that it mercilessly struggles against capitalist, religious and neutral sports organizations. At the present time, when reaction is gaining strength, such a struggle is absolutely necessary.

In almost all countries an energetic propaganda is being carried on by the bourgeois and is receiving a response among the broad masses. In the victorious countries such a propaganda is serving the purpose of promoting imperialist military training and takes the place of systematic preparation for war. The bourgeoisie has in this way to a large extent succeeded in getting a hold on the masses.

After the war workers sports’ organizations began to spring up, as a consequence of the intensification of class differences and the class struggle. With the development of their class consciousness the workers could not remain in the existing sport organizations which served the purpose of supporting the capitalist system. The workers were correct in freeing themselves from the claws of the bourgeois sports’ organizations and setting up their own.

It is a deplorable fact that in some countries workers who conscientiously adhere to class political and economic organizations still remain members of the bourgeois organizations because there are not proletarian sport bodies in existence. In other countries the workers’ sport organizations co-operate and maintain connections with the bourgeoisie organizations.

We categorically assert that there can be nothing in common between the proletarian and bourgeoisie sport organizations. If we are Marxists we must understand that there is no event without a purpose and explanation and which is not preceded by a cause and followed by a consequence. If the bourgeoisie agree to cooperation with the proletariat, if they tolerate the representatives of the workers in their organizations and even try to draw them in, then it is not their intention to make concessions to them, but to conquer the proletarian organizations and make them serve their own class purposes. In the interests of the preservation of their class hegemony the bourgeoisie otherwise.

In the camp of bourgeoisie physical culture there exists a deep differentiation. We must be able to understand the contradictions and conflicts between the various sections of the bourgeoisie sports movement in order to be able to fight against the whole effectively. Almost all of the bourgeoisie sports organizations pretend to be “neutral and impartial.” But this is only a mask to catch the unsuspecting masses. In the analysis of the bourgeoisie sport organizations we can distinguish the following types:

(a) Bourgeoisie organizations adhering consciously to a definite political platform and engaging in agitation activity.
(b) The so-called neutral and impartial organizations. 
(c) The religious and church organizations.
(d) Government sport organizations in a capitalist society.
(e) Industrial sport organizations.
(f) Organizations of a pure capitalist character.

In the capitalist sport world the workers primarily play a passive role. In the staging of professional sports only a privileged and talented few qualify for participation. And the workers constitute the spectators. At the huge boxing and wrestling events, bicycle and automobile races and games and contests of all sorts the proletarian mingles with the well- to-do sportsmen and bourgeoisie in watching and applauding the performers. He regards with indifference the fact that halls and fields are decorated with national banners, and that the orchestra plays patriotic hymns.

And on gala occasions the king or president, the state official, militarist hero or industrial magnate appear and are accorded ovations. In order to follow the sport events the worker is compelled to buy the bourgeois papers which devote a great deal of space to the results of the contests and games. In reading this press it follows naturally that the worker swallows the capitalist propaganda which it contains in its treatment of sport as well as other news. It is time for class conscious proletarians to stop supporting bourgeois sport with its attendant anti-working-class feature.

It is apparent that fascism, nationalism, militarism and capitalist propaganda are inseparable from bourgeoisie sports. The worker must realize that these things are his enemies and must take up the fight against them. He must come to understand that in the field of sports and gymnastics he must take his choice: either with the bourgeoisie or with the proletariat. It is time to put an end to the ideological confusion which prevails in the ranks of the workers-and particularly the young workers-in regard to the question of sports. He must effectively repudiate and expose those who dare to proclaim the impartiality and neutrality of physical culture.

A powerful movement in the field of proletarian sports and physical culture will play a tremendous role in strengthening the fighting capacities and defensive powers of the proletariat. We must strive for the development and growth of such a movement. The revolutionary working class parties, trade unions and youth organizations must give all possible help and support to this work.

The Red Sport International is fighting in the front ranks of the working class. We must try to develop a thoro propaganda in the proletarian press and organizations to the end that the workers may come to understand the harmful role of capitalist sports and the necessity of opposing it with proletarian sports. Let us build the proletarian physical culture and help to forge the weapons of the revolution.

The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924. National and City (New York and environs) editions exist.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1926/1926-ny/v03-n066-NY-mar-30-1926-DW-LOC.pdf