Racist Incidents in Vermont Sports

From Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising the Black Power fist during the 1968 Olympics to the U.S. Women’s National Team recently fighting for equal pay, activism has been no stranger in sports. Racism in Vermont sports is a systemic issue.

  • Jan. 2023: Boys basketball, BFA Fairfax vs. Milton. A Milton player accused a Fairfax fan of directing racist remarks at him.

  • Jan. 2023: Set off by a racist TikTok video from a CVU athlete, multiple girl’s basketball teams postponed games with CVU because they felt the school’s response to the post was inadequate.

  • Oct. 2022: Football, Burr and Burton (BBA) vs. Middlebury Union. A BBA player allegedly used a racist term. It was reported by a Middlebury student.

  • Oct. 2022: Girls soccer, Winooski vs. BFA Fairfax, racist and homophobic slurs said toward Winooski players

  • Feb. 2022: Girls Basketball, Middlebury Union vs. Enosburg Falls, racial slurs targeted a Middlebury Union athlete

  • Oct. 2021: Girls soccer, Hartford vs. Fair Haven, Hartford student was the target of sexual harrassment from the stands

  • Oct. 2021: Girls volleyball, Burlington vs. South Burlington, racist and transphobic comments were yelled from the stands at a Burlington player

  • Sept. 2021: Boys soccer, Enosburg Falls spectators and plays allegedly hurled racist comments at Winooski players

These are just the ones that were reported on. We know that there are many more that don’t make the news.