Cologne (SID) – Former national basketball coach Chris Fleming is shocked by the political unrest in the USA. “I would like to say that it was all completely surprising,” said the 50-year-old assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls on Deutschlandfunk: “But the presidency was marked by irregularity and racism.”
Fleming added that nobody could be surprised by what the incumbent President Donald Trump did with his power. The coach, who led the German national team from 2014 to 2017, is also convinced that democracy in the USA will survive the severe turmoil. “It’s about bringing the country back together now,” said Fleming, adding that the sport could help.
He cited the NBA professional basketball league as an outstanding example. Time and again, prominent professionals like LeBron James express themselves and criticize Trump. “The NBA also played a leading role in US sport in the election,” said Fleming. He believes that athletes not only have a right to vote, but “also have a duty to set an example”.
