I was reading a bit about ideas to ban Russia from olympics because of the state’s abuse of LGBT people. This reminded me the ban on South Africa.. And then I wondered why not bad Brazil’s football team in the world cup – per Brazil’s treatment of population.. However, it also occurred that perhaps USA should be banned because of their world-wide atrocities.. And the Turks never acknowledged the Armenian genocide.. And China is using slaves.. And Iran might as well be banned if Russia.. And the israeli state in Palestine might have a long list of bannable deeds too.. Morocco’s abuse of berbers and of Western Sahara should not be overlooked.. And there is more..
The thing is, that perhaps people might come and claim that sport is not politics – why involve political views in sporting events? The athletes are not to be punished, surely!
Well..
* Sport and sporting events are supported by power to legitimise it self. For example, by hosting the ’36 olympics, the Nazi regime could have claimed – and so it did – that its version of the german state is legit because all these people from all over the world came to enjoy what was in effect the regime’s hospitality. Indeed, the nazies fancied the games might prove their racial prejudices – it didn’t happen – but if it did, they would have used it for legitimising they racism too..
This is just one example.. However there are so many, a quick research might provide many others.. Hence am taking this link between sport and politics as a given.
However, am not saying that athletes should suffer.. Hence, please carry on.. 😉
* Assuming sports and politics are linked, perhaps the challenge might be to sort of un-link. Undo the legitimisation power that sports events and activities might offer to the elites for continuing their regimes. However, how this might be done? Is it fair to say that because I am living in a powerful state that could influence other states easily, banning another state because of activities un palatable in my society should prevail? Wouldn’t that in itself be abusive and aggressive?
* How about the athletes? Should they be banned just because they happened to be born in a certain place? I think they should not be made to suffer like that. If people come to celebrate a certain sport, anyone involved for the sports own sake should not, in my view, be boycotted. Though it might be an idea to check this with athletes’ own personal activities of financial exploitation via their sports.. eg Michael Jordan and his relationship to nike and its sweatshops..
Putting these links aside for a moment..
* How would it be if it was possible to have sporting events where some of the teams come from geographic locations rather than political entities? Team central West-Asia, or Team Ural-to-Pacific, etc..? Hence the ban/boycott could be of the state political entity rather than athletes?
* How would it be if such bans and diversions of athletes from state representatives to that of areas was done via voting by people outside the state in question? A bit like a eurovision? In that case, how ganging up on a certain state can be avoided?
* How it might be if sporting events did not adhere to political entities to begin with? Why not have olympics for athletes regardless of the states they might have happen to be born in?
Perhaps in such a case the questions will focus on who host such events and how they gain/
..and how these events are sponsored – hence might focus on nike’s slaves and anti human labour practices?