there are historical as well as socio-econ reasons which apply not just to climbing. winter sports originated in northern europe at a time when ethnic groups were not mixed. even though skiing has been a popular sport for 2-3 generations, it is only popular in certains regions. surfing as well follows this trend somewhat. certain geographical regions lend themselves to skiing and surfing.
and it is not solely about AfricanAustralians. percentage wise, few Latinos are skiers, climbers, surfers. And of course, the socio-cultural bondage/ boundries of Islam prevent that group from participating.
there is of course the start-up costs and operating costs as mentioned above as well as future potential financial rewards. and of course, the media, whether climbing mags, hollywood or simply the news outlets, have rarely, if ever, highlighted, celebrated or mentioned non-majority ethnic groups in any of these sports. |