1. Ch. 9 – Politics and Sport
1) Politics has been intertwined with sport for centuries:
a. Greek city states
b. Roman Sports to pacify masses
c. German turnvereins promoted nationalism
d. Sports Boycotts: Olympics
2) The political uses of Sport:
a. Sport as a propaganda vehicle to assert a political ideology:
i. Nazi German
ii. Soviet union
iii. East Germany
iv. Cuba
v. Canada Bill C131
vi. US Olympic cash for medalists
vii. Australia
viii. Developing Countries
b. Sport and Nationalism
c. Sport has tremendous potential to invoice a sense of nationalism
d. Hence nationalistic symbols like flags, anthems, slogans, uniforms,
mascots
e. Internal politics and differences often put on hold during the Olympics so
sport becomes a unifying force
f. Sport as an opiate of the masses
i. Sport diverts peoples attention away from their personal problems
ii. Sport can be a medium to improve the socio-economic states of
individuals
iii. Sport promotes national wellness hence has the support of
politicians
g. The exploitation of sport by politicians:
i. Politicians will use the success of athletes to enhance their own
image
ii. Politicians will be front and center at Olympics
iii. Successful athletes get invited to the white house
h. Sport as a vehicle of change:
i. Sport can be used to bring about social and political change in
society:
1. Black U.S. athletes threatened to boycott 1988 olympics
2. 1990 PGA policy against segregated clubs
3. International sport boycott against apartheid in South
Africa
3) Globalization of sport
a. Sport has become completely globalized
b. Sport transcend religion, politics, ethnic barriers

2. c. Creates opportunities for athletes from developing countries and the ghetto
d. Eases international tension
4) The political Olympics
a. The Olympics were revived in 1896 with lofty ideals
b. These ideals have been ended resulting in political problems:
c. Excessive nationalism with nations
i. Medal counts
d. Cash incentives for medals
e. Drugs/ blood dopingBiased media coverage
f. Everybody’s guilty
g. Use of Olympics by political dissents in host country:
i. Protests
ii. Bomb threats
iii. Vancouver 2010
iv. Violence
v. Security costs
h. Political decisions by IOC and National Olympics committee
i. Political organization of the Olympics
i. The organization of the Olympics is political
1. Nations select athletes, flags, anthems, judges to avoid bias