Breaking Barriers: Black Athletes in Sport
The experiences of Devon Petersen and Rory McLeod, two pioneering Black athletes who have broken barriers and made their mark in darts and snooker, speak volumes about their resilience. Both provide valuable insights into the challenges they faced and the strategies they employed to overcome adversity, inspiring us with their determination and the impact these strategies have had on their respective sports.
ALEXANDRA PALACE, LONDON, DECEMBER 2022
As the drums begin, the words of Shakira ring through the audience: “You’re a good soldier, choosing your battles. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off, get back in the saddle.” These are the first lines that everyone hears before Devon Petersen steps up to the plate.
Whilst he receives high fives from the crowd, the auditorium is filled with a chorus of “Zamina-mina, hé-hé. Waka, waka eh-oh eh, Zamina-mina, zangalewa, this time for Africa,” whilst fans spill booze over each other as the euphoria of a darts day reaches its pinnacle. Reaching the stage, Petersen, the showman, busts out some moves to delight the crowd. An audible roar is heard as he moves his hips to the music in a Shakira-esque style. The audience is united in his support; he’s already won the battle, and now it’s time to get to business.
“Sports unites people, and when you look at the audience members that attend sporting events, many have stories and diverse backgrounds, and for that 3 hours, they all come together to support.” Petersen said.
But sport, of course, doesn’t always unite. Black athletes in the UK and around the world have historically faced greater challenges than their white counterparts. In peripheral so-called pub sports such as, such as darts, snooker and pool, the barriers for entry remain high.
The shared thrill of the throw, the camaraderie of the crowd, and the electric atmosphere – darts creates a unique community where every player feels the connection. But what about on the tamer side of what some still cruelly regard as pub sports? While Petersen was revered for his African identity on the scene, on the flip side, Rory McLeod, an English-Jamaican former professional snooker player, faced many barriers in his career.
“In the snooker world, I’ve encountered racial discrimination or prejudice. It’s riddled with it, and I’m still overcoming it today. Overcoming the obstacles is a major challenge, a bit like when your face doesn’t fit,” McLeod says.
Given snooker’s historical background of being in male-only members clubs as far back as the 1920s, it is easy to appreciate the elitism of the time, which unfortunately lingers on to this day. One must always be equipped with a fighting attitude to compete under such negativity.
“You can do whatever you want, and do not let anybody else tell you otherwise,” McLeod continues. “Be careful what you say ‘cos you are right. So, remember to say something that helps you focus on what you’re doing and give it everything you’ve got in that moment. We all make good choices or at least learn.”
Petersen has made history as one of the few Black athletes to compete at the highest levels of the sport, and by doing this, so far away from home.
“The biggest challenge for me was leaving my home country” Petersen tells the Sports Gazette. “South Africa and coming to challenge the best in the world over in the UK. Essentially, my idols became my rivals, and I look back now and realise how brave I was but also how scary I was. I willed my way to become successful and continuously failed forward.”
Unlike McLeod in the snooker world, Petersen has not experienced racial negativity in his sport. “In darts, I experienced zero barriers that hindered and stunted my growth,” he says. “I was celebrated for being the first African, which often gave me an advantage because my becoming a Champion on the circuit was like seeing a unicorn. If there were any negative remarks or comments, I never saw or heard them, especially not from peers or colleagues.”
The connection between two sports professionals and their respective achievements within their sports, with one receiving no racial discrimination and the other dealing with negativity, cannot be overlooked. The historical and classist background of both darts and snooker could be another factor to be considered. example, these sports have been classist. In darts, the traditional working-class image of the sport has sometimes led to prejudice against players who don’t fit the stereotype, while in snooker, the perceived elitism of the sport and its association with private members clubs has historically made it less accessible to those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
“I have always seen triumph in disaster, which made me successful.”
The experiences of Petersen and McLeod underscore the importance of inclusivity in sports, making us keenly aware of the need for a more equitable society. While the representation of Black athletes in sports such as darts and snooker could be better, the increasing global attention, funding, and advertising in such sports offer hope for a future where more Black players can make a name for themselves and break barriers.