Laila Ali and Contreras softball players fight discrimination

Last weekend, professional boxer Laila Ali visited Contreras HS in downtown Los Angeles looking to pick a fight with her biggest enemy -- discrimination.

Ali took part in a softball game to promote a campaign which supports equal treatment for athletes. The campaign, "V Is for Victory. So is IX." has been launched by the Women's Sports Foundation and the California Women's Law Center in an effort to teach "the public about the need for fair treatment in athletics and the importance of the federal Title IX law in promoting equality."

The WIBA "champion emeritus" and Dancing with the Stars competitor pitched a couple of innings alongside Contreras softball players, illustrating the importance Title IX has had in impacting the lives of female athletes. And think about it -- prior to the passage of Title IX in 1972, high school softball teams and high-profile female boxers were virtually nonexistent.

Of course, discrimination isn't going to go away without a fight, so be sure to visit the campaign's website for more information.

-- Austin Knoblauch

Photo: Professional boxer Laila Ali, daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, poses with softball players. Credit: Women's Sports Foundation.

Comments

[Aaron]

Gee, I wonder what Ali has to say about the fact that Title IX discriminates so heavily against male athletes? Or it's affect on males in the classroom? Title IX does not promote equality - schools view male athletes as expendable if they can't support the girls' teams and as money makers if they do - never does the word "student" come into the picture. They actually encourage if not push the money makers out of more stringent academic classes to protect their investment.

I guess she really doesn't know (or doesn't care) that it's African American boys that are most affected by the Title IX discrimination and white girls that get the most benefits.

It might do her some good to learn to do some research before she starts shilling for such a program.