"Sport is a universal language. At its best, it can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status.”
– Kofi Annan (Former Secretary-General of the United Nations)
Introduction
Sport is one of the only things that exist in modern society that has the unique ability to bring people together in unison while also transcending national, political, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers. People’s affinity for sports stems from the very social nature of sports — it brings coaches, players, spectators, and volunteers around the world together, tunnel-visioned on a common goal. Supporting a sports team unites people over a shared interest, something they all have in common — excitement for a particular sporting event and support for their favourite team.
A major international sporting event, such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, ICC Cricket World Cup, and the FIFA World Cup brings together citizens of different ages, athletes, heads of state, and other national representations, and also leads to greater understanding and cooperation across national boundaries. Thus, it is clear as crystal that modern sports are intrinsically driven by a national feeling, which is deep-rooted in their historical evolution.
More than just a Game
Sometimes sports can go above and beyond its confinement to stadiums, arenas, courts, and fields; for a sport is more than just a game, and more political than you think. This political capacity of sports has been put on display time and time again throughout history.
One of the biggest examples of this dates back to 2005 when Ivory Coast and Chelsea football player, Didier Drogba, managed to bring to end a civil war that had ravaged Côte d’Ivoire for over four years.
In 2005, the Ivory Coast, playing against Sudan, were only 90 minutes away from their first-ever FIFA World Cup title. 90 minutes later, the match ended 3-1 in favour of the Ivory Coast and their captain, Drogba seized this opportunity to address his compatriots on the national television program of his country. Drogba took to the microphone and gave a speech that would change everything.
“Citizens of the Ivory Coast. From the north, from the south, from the east and from the west, we ask you on our knees to forgive one another. Forgive. Forgive. A great country like ours cannot surrender to chaos. Lay down your arms and hold free elections.” [1]
Ultimately, these words helped overcome the warring sides’ apprehensions and bring them to the negotiating table where a ceasefire was eventually signed; thus, uniting the Ivorian people for the first time in years.
Sports and Soft Power
The term “soft power” was coined by American Political Scientist Joseph Nye. According to Nye, soft power is the ability to obtain preferred outcomes by attraction rather than coercion or payment [2].
Sports have always had the distinctive potential to attract and persuade, which goes hand in hand with the very essence of soft power.
Over the years, sports have turned into a marketing tool for countries to make themselves look good, and what better way to look good than by winning sporting events watched by the entire planet? Brazil and football, the U.S.A. and basketball, India and cricket, or Jamaica and just being fast on a running track; countries develop an identity through sports.
The concept of soft power has been embedded into sporting events over the years, evidently clear through multiple incidents in the past. Let us take, for example, the boycott of South African sports teams during the era of apartheid. This movement highlighted segregation of sports and institutional racism in the country. The end of apartheid saw sports being used, once again, as a symbol of national reconciliation. Nelson Mandela’s appearance in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final was one of the most symbolic moments in sports history as rugby, which typically represented the white elite and racial privilege, had been transformed into a vessel of national unity.
We can hence conclude that sports have now become a global phenomenon, with every country looking to gain the soft power that comes with it.
Sports and Symbolism
The new age of sports is filled with massive audiences from all over the world. The rise of social media has only made communication between this massive audience easier and more convenient through the creation of countless communities and forums for people to discuss their favourite sport and its happenings on and off the field. This resulted in fostering bonds between individuals from various regions, paved the way for sports to be used as a medium for several social, political and national symbols, and also provided athletes with a platform to impact societal norms and raise awareness about issues plaguing the world.
Among the best recent examples of this is when the Indian cricket team wore specially commissioned military fatigue caps during their match against Australia, showing their solidarity to the soldiers who were killed in the Pulwama attacks [3]. This gesture made by the Indian cricket team attracted plenty of attention at the time as Indian cricketers are not known to parade their causes on the field.
Displaying socially and politically motivated symbols has become inherent to sports, be it teams and players taking the knee to make a statement against racism, voicing out their support for the LGBTQ+ communities, or taking a stand for the equality of women.
Sports play a vital role in ensuring inclusivity in modern society and sports-persons are ideal role models for the younger generations to look up to.
Conclusion
As a medium for instilling national feelings, sports have proved unique as even the least politically or publicly prominent person can identify with the nation through its events. Sports are universally binding of people around the world, while also promoting national identity and nation-building of several states around the globe. The spirit of sportsmanship and the values associated with representing your country on the world stage make this bond between nationality and loyalty, unparalleled.
Article by:
Taher Dossaji,
Co-editor, For the Record,
PES MUN Society, RR campus
Commentaires