Sports Investments and International Politics
Sport has reemerged as a tool for autocratic states to strengthen their legitimacy domestically and internationally. Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in particular, have invested heavily in sport and positioned state-linked figures in international sport organizations. Fabio Schmocker concludes in this CSS Analysis that while this strategy has increased the Gulf states’ global visibility, it has also drawn more attention to human rights issues.
Representatives of international sports organizations often claim otherwise, but sport and politics do mix. When fascism was on the rise in Europe in the 1930s, sport has been linked to propaganda efforts. Mussolini staged the World Cup 1934 in Italy as a patriotic symbol to demonstrate his country’s superiority. In 1936, Hitler repeated this showcasing with the Olympics in Berlin. After the Second World War, liberal democratic states made frequent use of sports to transfer their values abroad. Sanctions have been used to pressure autocratic regimes, such as the exclusion of South African teams and athletes from competitions during apartheid (1961–early 1990s).
“The hosting of large-scale sports events by autocracies has led to a new era known as “sportswashing”.”Fabio Schmocker
The link between sports and politics has also been framed more positively, with sports diplomacy used as a soft power tool to promote values of fair play, discipline, and integrity as well as international cooperation.
Fabio Schmocker emphasizes that Media, NGOs, and civil society play a crucial role in ensuring that sports do not become a shield for authoritarian image-building. In this task greater oversight can help curb corruption, bribery, and covert operations tied to authoritarian regimes, ensuring that global sports remain a space for competition rather than political manipulation.