Raheem Sterling & the rifle tattoo
RAHEEM STERLING got a new tattoo this week of an M16 rifle on his right foot. The symbolism to me was immediately obvious! He shoots from the right foot as a striker, and so it’s his deadly weapon on the pitch.
Of the 18 goals Sterling netted for Manchester City in their winning Premier League season, 11 of them came from his right foot. He scored 23 goals this season and provided 17 assists in a campaign that resulted in two additional trophies in the City cabinet. He should be proud and England should be happy to have him!
But when the 23-year-old debuted the new ink at training for England this week, it was met with criticism and overreaction by sections of the British media and anti-gun campaigners.
The headline on The Sun’s front-page read: “Ace’s sick new tattoo: Raheem shoots himself in foot.” There were calls from some anti-gun campaigners that Sterling be dropped from the England squad for what they considered to be a promotion of gun violence by the talented striker. The founder of Mothers Against Guns, Lucy Cope, was quoted as saying: “This tattoo is disgusting. Raheem should hang his head in shame.”
MORALE OF ATHLETES
Sterling was then forced to explain what the deeply personal tattoo meant to avoid the unwarranted character assassination before the biggest campaign of his career to date. He wrote on his Instagram: “When I was two my father died from being gunned down to death. I made a promise to myself I would never touch a gun in my lifetime, I shoot with my right foot so it has a deeper meaning (and) unfinished”.
To quote the great William Shakespeare, who the Brits are so familiar with, this was thus “much ado about nothing”. The salacious headlines without the facts and quoting lobbyists without first finding out the meaning behind the tattoo is actually what’s “unacceptable” and “sickening”.
It has once again raised discussions about how the media plays a role at times in breaking the morale of athletes. England has not had a successful World Cup campaign since 1966. Given the strength of teams like Brazil, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, and Argentina, for England to make an impressive showing at the 2018 World Cup, they will require a ‘Sterling’ performance from Raheem. He has been in stunning form, and so these headlines are just a distraction, one that other countries may benefit from.
And it is probably with the mindset of shooting from his right foot at the World Cup that prompted Sterling to get the tattoo at this time anyway. Tattoos are not just self-expression. They have a motivational effect, a ready and pressing reminder of our abilities. I once exercised some personal courage and made a very tough decision that I was grappling with for quite some time after getting myself inked. I have the words “courage and faith” permanently etched on my right side. It’s for me a constant reminder that no matter what, I will face all my challenges with the courage to move forward and with faith in a better tomorrow. Tattoos have a cathartic effect.
Sterling’s tattoo is, for me, just another reminder of how far this young man has come from a community riddled with gun violence and a household in which he lost his dad at two to becoming one of the world’s best footballers. He has triumphed over adversity and has used the deadly shooting to inspire another form of shooting – with his right foot. That’s how he displays his strength, and it’s not our place to question it.
Sterling is by all accounts a great role model for young men. He is a responsible parent and a solid football talent for Manchester City and England. I have read countless articles written by the British media where they accuse him of being cheap for shopping at Primark and eating at Greggs, and so I can also add that he seems to be frugal with his money. Maybe there is more to celebrate about the young man than there is to criticise. If Arsenal can be called the Gunners, and if their crest can display a cannon, I think Raheem can be allowed his M16 tattoo as his symbol of strength. Let’s give him a break.
One Love.