When I was first starting, I found it a lot easier to play with a capo placed further up the fretboard, where the frets are closer together. It made some of the longer finger stretches a little easier to accomplish. I feel like it helped me build a bit of strength and confidence while I was still figuring out hand positions. This might be especially helpful if you're thinking your hands might be too small.

I don't disagree with anything you've written here, I just think that part of the reason we remember the examples you've given is because they stand out from the crowd.

And I agree that taking the decisions fully out of the hands of the athlete is a bad

These are the exceptions that prove the rule. Yes, there are athletes who put their careers at risk to make a political or cultural statement, but part of what makes them so memorable is that they're exceptional and outside the norm. Would it be good if more followed their examples? Sure, but it's naive to expect it.