Explore the complexities, possibilities and personal cost of protest in sport at our panel discussion, chaired by Olympian Denise Lewis.

Lewis is joined on stage by former New York Giant Osi Umenyiora, two-time Super Bowl champion, who is now a sports pundit for the BBC, and former NBA player Jay Williams.

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick came to international attention after refusing to stand (an act that became known as ‘taking a knee’) for the US national anthem in 2016. In his words:

‘There are bodies in the street and cops are getting paid leave and getting away with murder… I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. If they take football away, my endorsements from me – I know that I stood up for what is right.’

What does sacrifice look like? How do British sportspeople engage with power and protest? What types of stand (or a knee) do we take personally, and what remains after we’ve taken them?

Heptathlete, Olympian, gold medalist, and British and Commonwealth record holder, former sport personality of the year and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards (BEDSA) – who better to host our panel Sport: The Power and Price of Protest than Denise Lewis OBE?

NFL don Osi Umenyiora still holds the record for the most sacks in one game – now you can catch him on Match of the Day 2 and The NFL Show. And, as the Royal Television Society’s Best Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit of 2019 he is sure to bring is own particular brand of knowledge and hype to our sports panel.

As point guard for the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat, Jay Williams’ sporting career has seen an avalanche of points and a flurry of assists. Now a sporting analyst for ESPN, he is one of basketball’s most inspiring voices.

This event is presented in association with Indaba X.