The Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar was around the corner in Fall of 2022. The class was of great importance in understanding the relationship between the role of sports in pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial Africa and contemporary African societies. Additionally, we analyzed how politics and economics affected African's social life due to various sports and gender sports, in addition to sports broadcasting. The course gave me a critical outlook on African sports introduced by the colonizers and the African sports and how that gradually changed their way of living and thinking

Most memorable was how sports in colonial Africa were a tool of liberation and an instrument for gaining independence. We explored the different tactics African teams used to voice their anti-colonialism sentiments and creativity, whether it was through music and chants during the games or by their unique team names. Significantly, sports played a critical role in the anti-apartheid movement, which indicated to me how sports and politics are interrelated. People often argue that there should be a break between sports and politics, but in reality, I argue that these two are inevitable because of various circumstances; states have interests that they want to advocate for regardless. 

For my final project, titled “Is Football  Africa?” I discussed colonial Africa's football journey, their resistance against colonialism throughout the game, and the benefits African men possessed as they excelled in their path toward professional football. I also engage with the notion of the Africanization of football and how it was for Africans to have autonomy over their decisions during the game while incorporating the culture, traditions, and religion into it. It was their safe space away from the colonizers and their strict rules to reiterate their power and importance in the land. Media and politics are integral parts of mega sporting events, often highlighting the positives and negatives depending on the media outlet. For example, the media influenced sports by making watching them accessible to many and introducing certain niche sports to a wider audience. However, the media also plays a political role by always picking and choosing the West over the East and discriminating against African sports and players. The media often disregards how historically football was during colonial times, the discrimination brought forward, and the significance of the club names that remain until today, such as the Algerian Moloudia club of 1921 and the Egyptian Al Ahly of 1907.