The Role of politics in sports

Posted April 5, 2022

By Jonas Hobson-Reeves

Competition between nations never runs low, and sport is just another avenue for countries to flaunt themselves in front of their adversaries.

While less aggressive in nature competitions like this often inspire large bouts of nationalism and a feeling of superiority, some competitions even hold more weight and have actual political significance. For example, the 1956 Olympics where Hungary faced off against the USSR right after an anti-Soviet group in Budapest was crushed by Soviet tanks created a lot of tension between the two world class teams. Another example is Bobby Fischer vs. Borris Spassky, a chess match that took place in the middle of the Cold War to decide the World Chess Champion which the Soviet Union claimed for 12 years prior. Bobby Fischer won the match 12 1/2 to 8 1/2, dethroning the reigning Russian foe and making Americans feel like their country was better for a while, until they all forgot— like most things.

A U.S. specific example is the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City where Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in solidarity, not only against the Vietnam War, which had taken so many lives, but also against prejudice in their own country. Their demonstrations ruined their track and field careers and they received very heavy backlash when they got back to their home country.

Politics will always be in sports. I think that sports provide a less hostile way for nations to be competitive and give the citizens something to get passionate about.