Lebron James Spars with Fox News Host; Russian Delegation Notified of Failed Drug Test Russian Delegation Notified of Failed Drug Test; Stars Wear Black in Support of #TimesUp and #MeToo.
ALLEN: Welcome back. The NBA All-Star Game ended a few hours ago with a win for the team led by Lebron James. But the athlete also made headlines this weekend for sparring with a "Fox News" host. Laura Ingram slammed James and fellow NBA Star Kevin Durant on Thursday after they appeared in a video criticizing President Trump. She in a mocking tone called James remarks barely intelligible and took jabs at his education.</s>LAURA INGRAM, FOX NEWS HOST: This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA. And it's always unwise to seek political advice from someone who gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball. Oh, and Lebron and Kevin, you're great players but no one voted for you. Millions elected Trump to be their coach, so keep the political commentary to yourself or as someone once said, "Shut up and dribble."</s>ALLEN: James fired back at Ingram telling her to check her facts. He also said this.</s>LEBRON JAMES, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS FORWARD: We will definitely not shut up and dribble. I would definitely not do that. I mean too much too society, I mean too much to the youth, I mean too much to so many kids that feel like they don't have a way out and they need someone to help lead them out of the situation they're in.</s>ALLEN: The "Fox News" host invited Lebron James on her program. On Friday, she also released a statement standing by her comment and dismissing claims that her remarks were racist. Let's talk more about this with Dave Zirin, he is the sports editor at the "The Nation Magazine." Dave, thanks for coming on.</s>DAVE ZIRIN, SPORTS EDITOR, NATION MAGAZINE: Sure thing. Because this is turning into a big story, what were your thoughts after hearing Laura Ingram on "Fox?"</s>ZIRIN: Well my first thought is that it was a very old script. I mean, to hear, "Shut up and dribble" it reminded me when people used to say to Muhammad Ali, "Shut up and box." It reminded me of when people used to say Jackie Robinson, "Shut up and bunt." I mean, these are the things that have long been said to black athletes to make sure that they don't use their hyper exalted platform to actually say something about politics and just as they say stick to sports.</s>ALLEN: So you think this is something that is specific toward African-American athletes and not other athletes?</s>ZIRIN: Historically that's what its been and if you look at for example Donald Trump's tweets since he's been president, he's gone after black athletes with a particular vengeance and ignored people in the sports world who are white, who have criticized his presidency. I think the same is true with Laura Ingram, she proudly carries water for Donald Trump. They like to play these racial games, it's not so much a dog whistle as is an air raid siren but I think this time truly Lauran Ingram and the people around her bid off far more than they could chew. I don't think they expected for one second not only for Lebron to respond the way he did but for the sports world to rise up in unison to say, "No, we defend the right to be more than an athlete."</s>ALLEN: How could they not know there were big backlash? Lebron James, 40.7 million followers, Kevin Durant, 17.4 million. These are mega stars, that many people care what these athletes are doing and likely what they're saying.</s>ZIRIN: It's interesting that you said their Twitter numbers because Michelle Roberts, the head of the NBA Players Association, she referenced them as well and said, "Well now, 57 million new people have been introduced to who Laura Ingram is and they're getting a very negative impression of that." I just think they did not expect the athletes to pushback. I think they realized that these athletes over the last five years or so have really been in a kind of training for this kind of political activism. I mean, it started with the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin when Lebron James got the Miami Heat to all wear hoodies and that picture went viral. And since then, it's been regular political discourse and dialogue for almost six years and I don't think "Fox News" has any conception whatsoever that these athletes are ready for this kind of political fight.</s>ALLEN: Right. You talk about the pushback from the athletes. Let's talk about the role of athletes. James posted this message, "I am more than an athlete." And he also says this is bigger than him playing basketball. Let's listen.</s>JAMES: You know, if it's for the greater good, then I don't mind being a symbol. I don't sit up here trying to get a reward for it. I don't think Muhammad Ali sat up there trying to get a reward. I don't think Jim Brown or Bill Russell or Jackie Robertson and the list goes on and on. They sit up there trying to get rewarded for it, it's just -- because this is who we are and we know it's bigger than us, it's not about us. I'm going to do what I have to do to continue to play this game that I love to play but this is bigger than me playing the game of basketball.</s>ALLEN: He made his feelings very clear on that, didn't he?</s>ZIRIN: He certainly did. And he wasn't alone. I mean, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, even Adam Silver, the Commissioner of the NBA, he did what is known as the State of the NBA Union where he does a big press conference during All-Star Weekend which is what we're in right now. And Adam Silver started his comments unprompted with a defense of Lebron James and any players right to be political. I mean, that's a remarkable level of institutional support in the NBA that for example in the NFL players simply do not have and I think it's one of the things that's attracting people to the NBA because whether you agree or disagree with the politics of the players, you see them as three- dimensional people and that three dimensionality is exactly what "Fox News" was pushing back against. And I think they really did learn a lesson that to quote "The Wire," "If you come for the king, you best not miss."</s>ALLEN: Lebron James encountered direct racism recently. Last summer, his home was vandalized with graffiti and after that he said this, "No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough. We've got a long way to go for us as society and for us African- Americans until we feel equal in America." And this story involving "Fox" certainly illustrates the fact that he's been targeted unfairly more than once, many times and then he's been quite eloquent talking about to the issues he faces. All of this while he does his day job, play basketball quite remarkably.</s>ZIRIN: Right. No, it's a remarkable story. And I reminds of Seattle Seahawks, Michael Bennett who was asked why he supports the Black Lives Matter Movement and he said, "Well I'm going to play in the NFL for another couple of years, I'm going to be black the rest of my life." And there is this rhetoric certainly from Donald Trump, the word he uses is ungrateful to describe protesting black athletes and that word ungrateful, it assumes this idea that somehow racism is no longer an issue in your life or the life of your family just because you're a star athlete. And I think what Lebron James's recent experience has shown and that what he's trying to be a voice for is that this is everybody's responsibility to do something about whether you're directly affected by it or not. "Fox News" is a very different perspective on the question of racism in U.S. society and that perspective is, "Just shut up and dribble."</s>ALLEN: Dave Zirin, sports editor at "The Nation Magazine," we appreciate you coming on. Thanks for your thoughts.</s>ZIRIN: Thank you.</s>ALLEN: News out of the Olympics, it is not about medals, the Russian Olympic Delegation says one of his athletes has failed a drug test. CNN's Amanda Davies joins me now with more from Pyeongchang, South Korea, what we're learning about this, Amanda.</s>AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, thanks Natalie. Just three golds being decided today and not until later in the day, so it's a real day where it's sports news dominating the headlines instead of the sport not what the IOC would have wanted. And while there's interest in the current climate when you hear of a failed drug test, if that failed drug test involves an athlete from Russia, then as you can imagine and that is magnified at least ten folds and the spokesperson from the Olympic athletes from Russia team confirm to CNN that the Russian delegation was told on Sunday that one of their athletes has failed a test and are waiting for the results of the B sample which should be confirmed later today. But neither the OAR or the International Olympic Committee have confirmed the identity or sports of the athlete as things stand. In terms of the bigger picture though, it's going to be very, very interesting to see what impact this might have on whether or not Russia will be able to march under their own team name and flag at the closing ceremony on Sunday. You might remember that one of the clauses in the agreement that allowed the band Russian team to compete here in Pyeongchang under the neutral flag was that the option is there for them to reinstated for the final proceedings if they stick to the rules. And the IOC Spokesperson, Mark Adams wouldn't really be drawn on that matter when he was pressed in a daily news conference, he simply said it's too premature to say with the official decision set to be made on Saturday. Let's have a listen to what he have to say.</s>MARK ADAMS, IOC PRESIDENT'S SPOKESPERSON: On the one hand it's extremely disappointing when prohibited substances may have been used. But on the other hand, it shows the effectiveness of the anti-doping system at the games which protects the rights of all the clean athletes. If this case is confirmed, if this case is confirmed, it will be considered by the OAR implementation group chaired by IOC Executive Board Member Nicole Hoevertsz which will report to the IOCEB at the end of the Olympic Games.</s>DAVIES: If the results of the B sample that we're waiting for Natalie to discover whether or not this case will be confirmed and you suspect at that point, a lot more detail will come and the decision in terms of the bigger picture will need to be made.</s>ALLEN: All of the lead up concerning Russian athletes and drugs and it seems surreal, we're talking about this yet again. Amanda Davies for us, thank you so much for that report Amanda. You knew him for his movies such as "Alien" and "Gladiator" but the BAFTA honored Director Ridley Scott for much more, we'll have that next. Plus, look at this year's winners at the BAFTA in London, coming right up.