International sports are those that take place between two nations, usually in neutral territory, and are sanctioned by a recognised world sporting body. The best known example is the Olympic Games, but the term can be extended to any event involving national teams from different countries.
As international travel grew, and the spread of televised sport helped boost its popularity, the games became increasingly globalised. This was partly aided by the creation of organisations like FIFA in 1904 and the first modern Olympics in 1896, which initially only included nine disciplines and 241 athletes (all men).
Since then, as the game’s globalisation has continued, so too have its power imbalances. Athletes from the global north enjoy greater opportunities to compete and gain rewards than their counterparts from the global south, and this imbalance is reflected on and off the field of play.
While some of this inequality is due to the fact that some sports are inherently more elitist than others, there are also significant issues with corruption and unaccountable national governing bodies. This is highlighted in the case of Mali’s basketball players who were sexually abused by their coaches, and of a wrestler who quit her sport after being denied justice for a sex attack that was ignored by authorities.
The governing bodies of the summer and winter Olympic games, as well as other major events, can help tackle these issues by insisting that host countries are able to demonstrate transparency, and offering access to, and protection for, whistleblowers. This is something that was discussed at a recent international conference in Trondheim, Norway, organised by the ‘Play the Game’ initiative, which is aimed at raising the ethical standards of the world of sport and promoting democracy, transparency and diversity.