The 20th century is often referred to as “the century of nationalism.” During this period, countries projected their national identity through cultural symbols, national heroes and well, sports. For some countries, sports represent the only chance to project themselves internationally. Puerto Rico, a non-incorporated territory of the United States, only appears before the international community as a distinct entity at sports competitions and beauty pageants.
Gaining sports sovereignty was not an easy road for the island, and Puerto Ricans take great pride in the participation of their national teams in the Olympic Games and other international sports competitions. “Sports sovereignty” refers to the autonomy that some non-politically sovereign countries, such as Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Palestine have in sports competitions. While “sports citizenship” does not necessarily coincide with political citizenship, Puerto Rico’s political history is clearly reflected in its international sports participation.
Puerto Rico’s international sports debut was at the 1930 Central American Games in Havana, Cuba. At the time, Puerto Rico’s political status in relation to the United States was clearly colonial. Therefore, because the Puerto Rican flag was not yet an official emblem of the country, and was stigmatized as a subversive symbol associated with radical nationalism, the Puerto Rican delegation used the U.S. flag during the opening ceremony. In the following Central American Games hosted by El Salvador in 1935, Puerto Rico won a gold medal and the Salvadoran national anthem had to be played when the Puerto Rican athletes received their medals.
In 1947, without objection from the United States, Puerto Rico founded a National Olympic Committee in order to participate in the 1948 Olympic Games in London. In the opening ceremony, the Puerto Rican delegation used the Puerto Rican coat of arms as its national symbol. After the Nationalist Revolt in Puerto Rico in 1950 and a violent attack by Puerto Rican nationalists in Washington, D.C. the same year, the Puerto Rican delegation used the U.S. flag along with the Puerto Rican coat of arms during the opening ceremony of the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games. Coincidentally, on July 25, 1952, in the middle of the Games, the Puerto Rican Constitution was approved and the island became a Commonwealth of the United States. As such, it was granted limited sovereign powers, including the right to use the Puerto Rican flag and anthem along with U.S. symbols. The Helsinki Games was the first time that Puerto Rican national symbols were used internationally. The Puerto Rican flag replaced the coat of arms and the U.S. flag, and the Puerto Rican anthem would have been played if the Puerto Rican athletes had won a gold medal.
Since the passage of the Constitution, Puerto Ricans have exhibited increasing cultural nationalism when it comes to sports. Every time Puerto Rico participates in international sports competitions, such as the Olympic, Central or Pan American Games, Puerto Ricans passionately follow the events. When an international sporting event is held in Puerto Rico, the stadium is filled with Puerto Rican flags and songs that celebrate being Puerto Rican. International sports representation is as important to Puerto Ricans as other more common national issues, such as the flag and the preservation of the national language. Sports sovereignty always comes up in discussions about Puerto Rico’s current colonial status. Even most members of the political party seeking to make Puerto Rico the 51st state of the United States believe it important to preserve the island’s sports sovereignty. Regardless of their political allegiances, Puerto Ricans always celebrate when they beat the United States.
About the Author
Elga Castro is a PhD student of political science at the Graduate Faculty, New School University. She is originally from Puerto Rico.
