Sport and politics have often mixed throughout history, despite the idea that they should remain separate. Some leaders, like Hitler, have used major sporting events for political propaganda. Athletes also sometimes express political views, like Muhammad Ali supporting civil rights. There remains debate around whether athletes should refrain from politics given their platform, but politics will likely always influence sport in some way due to their reflection of society.

1. “THE SPORTIVE, KNIGHTLY BATTLE AWAKENSTHE BEST
HUMANS CHARACTERISTICS. IT DOESN’T SEPARATE BUT
UNITESTHE COMBATANTS IN UNDERSTANDING AND
RESPECT. IT ALSO HELPSTO CONNECTTHE COUNTRIES IN
THE SPIRIT OF PEACE.THAT ISWHYTHE OLYMPIC FLAME
SHOULD NEVER DIE.”
– ADOLF
HITLER.
By AinaVillares-Vila

2. Sports and Politics: the two ambits that never
should have mixed and always have done.
■ It is often said that sport and politics are two aspects of our society that have
nothing in common. Yet the history of the Olympic movement has provided several
examples of how they influence one another, directly or indirectly.
■ There are both kind of people, the ones that agree and the ones that are against
this mix.
“Sport and politics don’t mix”
– Paulo di Canio
“To say that politics is not a part
of sports is not being realistic.
When I run, I am more than a
runner. I am a diplomat, an
ambassador for my country.”
– Filbert Bayi

3. The Olympic Games
“No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial
propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or
other areas.” – Rule 50.3 of the Olympic Charter
 There can be no doubt that sporting contests, and the Olympic Games in particular,
are a reflection of the real world, a microcosm of international relations. Throughout
history, they have acted as an indicator of international detente.
 Two of the countries that clearly used Sport (and the absence of Sport) as
Propaganda for their ideologies were: The USSR - current Russia - (Communism)
and Germany (Nazism).

4. COMMUNISM NAZISM
 Hitler uses The Olympics as the biggest
Propaganda event, even though he is not a
sports fan.
 In 1936, The Olympic Games took place in
Berlin, also known as ”The Nazis Olympics”.
 He sells to the world a fake image of a new,
peaceful and strong Germany, while masking
the regime’s targeting of Jews and Gypsies.
 After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the
Bolsheviks boycotted the Olympics as they
viewed modern sports as elitist and
proponents of western capitalism.
 Early 1920s – Creation of the Red Sport
International, that was in charge of spreading
revolutionary ideals through sport
(collectivism).

5. Nelson Mandela

6. Muhammad Ali
Athletes who have used their popularity to express their
ideologies
The idea that sport is somehow a model or metaphor for social life makes it a frequent reference
point, either in terms of abstract ideas, ideals, and values or in terms of athletes, competitions, and
events in the sporting world being believed to embody and used to express political and ideological
views.
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/04/politics/muhammad-ali-political-moments/
Muhammad Ali in a Black Muslim convention (1968) Muhammad Ali in Barack Obama’s presentation as the
president of the United States (2009)

7. Gerard Piqué
- The FC Barcelona’s footballer is an example of how politics, ideologies and sports mix nowadays.
- He supports Catalonia’s rights of vote and, consequently, its independence from Spain.
Gerard Piqué in his twitter, followed by a pic of his son
Milan and him in the Catalan March for the Independence:
Happy Catalonia’s National day to everyone!

8. - However, he plays for the Spanish National team, being a controversial
subject around the country.
- He has also given support to the fact that, if in Real Madrid’s game there can
be Spanish flags, in Barcelona’s games UEFA cannot ban ”Estalades” (Catalan
flags for the independence) – which has happened.
ESPN: Barcelona face another UEFA fine as
fans wave pro-independence flags

9. Conclusion
 Throughout history, Sports have always been used as a way of freedom. This has lead to the
expression of ideologies that aren’t related directly to sports.
 Media attention is a key fact to spread these ideologies, so the politicians try to get this attention by
going to sports events or meeting sportspeople in public. This helps them too because people see
them as “normal” people and they feel identified with them (same team supporter, same favorite
sport…)
 Moreover, sportspeople are above all people and being known doesn’t mean they cannot express
themselves in public just because they will create controversy. However, it is true they have to know
how to express and be responsible for their words and acts because their relevance goes beyond their
simply opinion.