Sports is one of the most friendly platforms for uniting the world. Meanwhile, politics has often played the role of the destroyer of the peace and progress of humankind. These 2 sectors have no direct mandatory connection. But unfortunately, with the advancement of the sporting world, politics is getting involved in sports more than ever. There are 2 types of interaction between these 2. One is politics inside sports while the other is external politics affecting the sector. “How Do Politics Affect Sports?” In this content, we will throw light on this question and will find the outcomes.
Politics in Sports
Politics is present in sports in 2 forms. Internal politics within sports interfere with factors like team selection, player-to-player or player-to-staff relations, fellow boards, confederation, or the international governing body’s attitude towards different individuals and teams. On the other hand, the external politics affecting the sports include the powerful politicians being in charge of various sports posts and influencing the things using their power.
What is the connection between sports and politics? Politics is indeed such a thing that you can’t keep outside of anything. From your family matters to the world’s most complex international relationship system, politics has its influence everywhere.
Why Politics Should Not Be in Sports
There are many reasons why politics shouldn’t be in sports. Let’s find them in detail.
Unfair Team Selection
Let’s start with the effect of internal politics. Suppose, a powerful person in the board or authority has an issue with a player. In that case, even if that player does well enough to be selected for the team, somehow he will be forced to stay out of the team or squad. Seems a bit ridiculous? The current Shakib Al Hasan scenario in Bangladesh will prove it if you have any doubt at all. One may argue that it doesn’t happen in football. Lolz! There are many examples. The rainbow armband has been another ridiculous factor that saw many footballers being dropped or published. This is also quite an international political issue.
A Graze in the Bonding
A form of internal politics includes the toxic relationship between players or players to managing staff. Such a scenario within a team is actually a complexion of the internal politics. It highly demotivates the players playing for the same side. It can have a serious impact on the performance of the team.
Unfair award giving
Due to the existence of politics, there is always an uprising of favoritism. It results in unfair voting and the selection of different awards. Although there are not much proof behind such facts one can’t deny completely that these problems do exist in the sporting world.
Hostile relationships between different boards
When 2 nations have hostile relationships that spreads in the sports sector as well. It then exists among the individuals as well. This is a very unfortunate scenario for sports. Because sports have an ambition to reunite the world. But you often see this motto fail due to intense hostility between different nations. For example, you will never see a Muslim country playing against Israel in any sort of friendly fixture. In cricket, India hasn’t visited Pakistan even during global events since the Terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008.
Fans’ collisions or athletes being hit
The impact of politics might be as much intense as it can produce some serious and unfortunate collisions among the fans. Sometimes, they tend to attack many enemy nation’s athletes. These sorts of dirty things happen when there is so much hatred in the air especially produced due to the existence of the politics impacting sports.
How Do Politics Affect Sports?
Politics has impacted sports in several ways. Let’s find some key examples.
Israel’s Exclusion from the AFC
Israel has a nasty relationship with the Muslim world. It’s because of their attack against Palestine. Due to these reasons, the Muslim nations of the AFC have refused to play against Israel. It caused the Middle Eastern nation to quit the AFC and join UEFA. However, this seems quite a valid reason from the opposing nations’ point of view.
Brazil Football’s Downfall
Brazil had established itself as one of the deadliest sides ever to play football. Indeed, football blows through their veins. But the impact of some dirty politics that exist in their board and system has caused them some serious problems. From unfair team selection to a lack of love for the team & the nation; all these have impacted their performances. The Selecaos have failed to deliver their best in recent mega events. There is also no rhythm in their playing style in recent years unlike in the past.
The Venue of the ICC CWC 2023
India suffered a horrific defeat against Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final. Definitely, it was not an upset but considering the host nation’s form, it was quite shocking for their fans. India always enjoyed a good record at the Wankhede Stadium. They clinched the 2011 ICC CWC title in that ground. The Men in Blue also won the 2023 semifinal against the Kiwis in that field. If the reigning government hadn’t planned for a Gujarat-based venue for the final for their political benefits, Wankhede would have probably hosted the final yet again. But with a less favorable Narendra Modi Stadium being the venue and Pat Cummins silencing the crowd, the fans blamed the government for making the biggest venue there and to host such an important fixture. There was another claimant that the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium was the only venue that didn’t host any Indian game during that event also due to a political factor.
India-Pakistan Cricket Scenario
The 2008 Mumbai Attack made the Ind-Pak relationship ambivalent. Since then the 2 nations have played only in a bilateral series. Indeed, India refused to visit Pakistan during the Asia Cup as well as the ICC Champions Trophy. This situation has deprived the fans of witnessing some cracking cricketing contest between the 2 heavyweights. Although there seems to remain a friendly connection between the players from the 2 nations, still, the unfavorable political conditions don’t let the 2 neighbors play against each other in bilateral series. Also, India doesn’t approve of visiting their nearby country even if they host a major event.
This content just tries to bring in some recent examples to justify its standing against politics in sports. As we’ve already mentioned, you can’t keep politics aside from any sector of life, to be honest. This is a part of life, a part of the world system. But it also disgraces the generosity of the sports sector that aims to be an ambassador of humanity. Politics has indeed affected this motto cruelly but has become an inevitable part of the system.
