Sport and Politics: an uncomfortable alliance

Sport. That divine thing; the one entity which competitors and viewers alike can participate in physically and emotionally while bigger issues, such as world politics, take a backseat. In theory, sport and politics should remain separate, but in practice the two are inextricably linked and can have a major influence on each other.

Take the recent example of Bahrain. This was supposed to be the scene of the opening Grand Prix of the Formula One season, an occasion that would arouse excitement considering the thrilling finish to the previous campaign. However, the political turmoil and violent protests in the country make it an unsafe venue to stage the event; nobody wins here, from the Bahrain track organisers, to the Formula One moguls and benefactors all the way to the television companies – but it is a decision which cannot be argued with. This is nothing new; a parallel can be seen in the cricket world where the politically volatile situation in Pakistan has made it too risky an environment to stage international cricket matches, which has been to the detriment of the Pakistan team.

The last thing fans of sport want is for politics to affect how tournaments are conducted. But this has been rife all the way through sport, from Olympic Games boycotts due to Cold War tensions, to the recent decision to hold the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite its colossal summer temperatures.

Nonetheless, sport and politics can be of simultaneous benefit to each other. The examples are widespread; Jesse Owens’ medal haul in the 1936 Berlin Olympics generated pride in the black race, while South African victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup went some way to breaking down Apartheid prejudices and promoting national unity.

Whether providing positive or negative ramifications, sport and politics will remain inseparable. The venues, the competition formats, the money involved; these decisions all have their roots in politics. But one hopes that no matter where the event is contested, under what circumstances and in what temperature (stadium cooling technology anyone?), political concerns will never encroach on the raw emotion of competitive sport.