Sports
Sports-politics unholy alliance: Never-ending toxic relationship?
Sports and politics have never really been separate. Sport markets itself as fair play and unity, but politics is driven by power and interest.
When they face off, the results shape national identity, fuel protest, and sometimes steal the spotlight from competition itself.
From Cold War boycotts to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Gaza conflict, the past decade has shown that this partnership can be as divisive as it is inevitable.
Sport vs. statecraft
The belief that sport should be apolitical has always been more ideal than reality.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has forged an unlikely bromance with U.S. President Donald Trump. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, Infantino has become a frequent visitor to the Oval Office, a visible sign of the governing body’s close ties to the White House.
That relationship was on full display at the World Cup draw in Washington in December, when Trump was presented with FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize. Standing beside him, Infantino praised the president’s leadership, saying the world wanted “hope” and “unity” and that Trump deserved the honor.
The decision sparked immediate controversy. Critics questioned the optics of awarding such a prize to a sitting political figure, especially in a deeply polarized climate. Despite the backlash, the award stands.
Behind the scenes, there is said to be growing unease within FIFA itself. Mid-level and senior officials have privately expressed embarrassment over the move, concerned that the gesture blurred the line between global sport and partisan politics at a moment when the organization is already under scrutiny.
Even the ancient Olympics reflected city-state rivalry and alliances. In 1936, Nazi Germany tried to turn the Berlin Games into a propaganda victory, only to be undermined by Jesse Owens’ performance on the track.
The Cold War turned Olympic arenas into ideological battlefields. The 1972 Munich Games were scarred by terror. The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the Soviets returned the gesture in 1984. Athletes lost career-defining moments because of state decisions.
Athlete protest has a long tradition. Tommie Smith and John Carlos were expelled in 1968 after raising black-gloved fists at the Mexico City Games. Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing the Vietnam draft. These moments, once controversial, are now part of sporting lore.
Even club football has reflected political fault lines. Football Against the Enemy explored how football often mirrors wider political currents, revealing that when the sport matters to billions, it becomes inseparable from national narratives and conflict. Kuper travelled to 22 countries to show how football both reflects and shapes cultural identity and political tensions.
Protest, war and global pressure
The 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked a wave of athlete activism.
NBA players wore social justice messages. Premier League teams knelt before matches. The WNBA campaigned against a sitting U.S. senator who was a team owner. The NFL, after sidelining Colin Kaepernick for kneeling in 2016, later embraced anti-racism messaging in stadiums, a shift some saw as genuine and others as commercially driven.
International football brought its own controversies. The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar drew intense scrutiny over workers’ rights, human rights concerns and allegations tied to the bidding process, with some players staging symbolic protests and FIFA trying to enforce a facade of neutrality.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine forced global sport into political action. FIFA, UEFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposed bans or neutral status on Russian teams and athletes in many competitions, decisions that brought praise and criticism for inconsistency.
At the same time, the Gaza conflict sparked calls from some federations and public figures to exclude Israel from international competitions, highlighting how geopolitical disputes spill into sport and expose questions about fairness and sanctioning.
It’s deeper
Government interference has also blurred boundaries. FIFA suspended Zimbabwe in 2022 after state authorities dissolved its football association, a ban that sidelined national teams before being lifted in 2023. Early in 2026, Gabon briefly suspended its national team after humiliation at the Africa Cup of Nations, risking FIFA penalties before reversing course. In both cases, political decisions threatened athletes’ opportunities in global sport.
In the United States, the 2024 presidential cycle played out on sporting stages as well. High-profile athletes endorsed candidates. Political leaders appeared at games. By the run-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, diplomatic tensions around visas and policy disputes were influencing media narratives around teams and fans just as much as match preparation. Even the ongoing Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are shadowed by broader social debates, from athlete eligibility to national policy clashes reverberating beyond the slopes.
Influence that changes society
Despite the tension, political engagement in sport can drive meaningful change.
Maya Moore retired from basketball to fight for criminal justice reform, helping secure a wrongful conviction reversal. Brittney Griner’s release from detention in Russia was supported by sustained advocacy from teammates, the WNBA and public pressure. Didier Drogba’s televised plea after Ivory Coast qualified for the 2006 World Cup helped encourage a cease-fire during civil war and later became a symbol of unity when the national team played in a former rebel-held city.
Sport has also brought athletes into governance. George Weah became president of Liberia after a celebrated football career. Imran Khan transitioned from cricket legend to prime minister of Pakistan. In these cases, sporting influence became political capital.
The costs of entanglement
Yet the dangers are clear. Mega events can be used to soften international criticism of host nations. Boycotts often punish athletes rather than policymakers. Governing bodies face accusations of selective enforcement. Fans who turn to sport for escape increasingly find themselves entangled in the world’s sharpest debates.
The war in Ukraine and the Gaza genocide have demonstrated how quickly global tournaments can become extensions of wider conflict, turning venues into stages where power, protest and politics play out against the backdrop of competition.
A reality to be managed
Sport cannot be divorced from society. Its global reach ensures politics will always follow. The challenge for organisations such as FIFA and the IOC is to act consistently, protect athletes’ rights and resist becoming instruments of political theatre.
The relationship between sport and politics may be uneasy, but it is not new and is unlikely to disappear. The test ahead is whether global sport can preserve its integrity while standing at the centre of the world’s most heated disputes.
After all, it is a toxic relationship built to endure. A stormy marriage that survives every crisis, bound together for better or worse, with no real prospect of separation.
Türkiye suffered their fourth consecutive UEFA Nations League defeat Monday as Italy claimed a 3-1 victory in Bologna, leaving the Crescent-Stars rooted to the bottom of Group 1 without a point.
Goals from Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito secured the victory for Italy at the Renato Dall’Ara Stadium, while Aral Şimşir scored Türkiye’s lone goal.
Italy started brightly, with Scamacca firing narrowly wide in the 11th minute, but Türkiye soon began creating chances of their own.
Irfan Can Kahveci threatened after breaking onto a through ball before losing control, while Gianluigi Donnarumma was called into action to deny Ozan Kabak and Salih Özcan.
Italy broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Antonio Vergara’s deflected cross fell to Scamacca, who fired in off the underside of the crossbar.
Türkiye continued to push and were rewarded in the 61st minute. A deflection off Eren Elmalı sent the ball into the path of Şimşir, who converted from close range to level the score.
The hosts responded almost immediately.
Nicolo Barella’s free kick found Calafiori, whose header beat Uğurcan Çakır in the 65th minute to restore Italy’s advantage.
Türkiye came close to another equalizer in the 77th minute when Yunus Akgün picked out Özcan, but Donnarumma produced a strong save to preserve Italy’s lead.
Esposito then put the result beyond doubt late on, converting from inside the penalty area to make it 3-1.
The victory continued Italy’s improved run under returning coach Roberto Mancini and strengthened their bid for a Nations League quarterfinal place.
Türkiye, meanwhile, remain without a point after four matches and sit bottom of the group following their fourth straight defeat.
Italy moved to seven points in second place after recording their second victory in three matches.
Türkiye will host Belgium on Nov. 12, while Italy welcome France on the same day.
Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina Tuesday in a farewell friendly against Benin, marking the end of his international career for the South American champions.
After more than two decades of service to his country, the 39-year-old superstar will hand over the captain’s armband for good as he makes his final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi will be joined for his international swansong by 85,000 spectators and several of the teammates with whom he reached the pinnacle of football at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside members of Argentina’s emerging generation.
The friendly marks a symbolic passing of the torch for a player whose international legacy includes a World Cup title, two Copa America crowns and the Finalissima.
Messi also bows out as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 games, as well as a record 68 assists.
His farewell comes two and a half months after Argentina’s ill-tempered World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi exited in tears after making little impression.
“I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote when announcing his international retirement in August.
Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although following the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago, he revealed he may hang up his boots for good sooner than anticipated.
Friends reunited
Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad – the players who delivered the country’s third star – and their families will join Messi for Tuesday’s farewell against Benin, ranked 93rd in the world.
Veterans of that Doha triumph such as Angel Di Maria, who retired from international football in 2024, will be there to witness the passing of the torch to a new generation charged with extending the Albiceleste’s golden era.
Several of the newcomers, including Franco Mastantuono and Leonel Flores, were not even born when “La Pulga” (“The Flea”) made his Argentina debut in 2005 for a team whose history had for so long been dominated by Diego Maradona.
“It’s going to be an unforgettable day for everyone. Everyone wants to be at this match, and now it’s just about enjoying it,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
Argentina’s new generation has already shown what it can do without its captain, although nobody is pretending replacing a man regarded by many as the greatest footballer in history will be straightforward.
“Collectively, we will try to fill the void left by Leo,” said Scaloni, who is negotiating a contract extension after leaving his future unresolved following the World Cup defeat in July.
Scaloni, who mastered the art of building the right supporting cast around Messi, will also say goodbye on Tuesday to 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi.
Like Messi and Otamendi, midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were called up solely for the Benin game, raising the possibility that neither will represent Argentina again.
New generation
Those certain to be involved, at least from the bench, include other veterans of the 2022 World Cup who will be the standard-bearers for Argentina after Messi: defender Cristian Romero, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez, and forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
Tenacious center-back Romero is set to inherit the captain’s armband, first worn by Messi at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez are next in the captaincy hierarchy.
They have already begun to rally around Messi’s heirs, who showed their appetite for success in Argentina’s first game since the World Cup final, against Bolivia in Cordoba Wednesday.
Argentina swept the Bolivians aside 4-0, with young talents Nico Paz and Jose Manuel Lopez among the scorers.
They followed that victory with a 7-0 rout of Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday, with Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni scoring their first international goals.
While Argentina’s future is beginning to take shape, one small but symbolically significant question remains: who inherits Messi’s No. 10 shirt?
“We won’t give the No. 10 to anyone until Leo’s match takes place,” Scaloni said. “After that, we’ll see.”
Carlos Alcaraz overcame serving struggles to defeat fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 Monday, reaching the Japan Open final as he seeks his first singles title since returning from a wrist injury.
He will face Czech Jiri Lehecka in Tuesday’s final.
Defending champion Alcaraz completed the career Grand Slam by capturing the Australian Open title in February but suffered the injury two months later and only came back at the U.S. Open, where a quarterfinal run hinted at a swift return to form.
The 23-year-old, who moved through the gears during Team Europe’s triumphant Laver Cup campaign last month, looked comfortable against qualifier Munar in Tokyo at 5-4 before gifting him the opening set with two shaky service games.
“I don’t know what happened in the first set,” said top seed Alcaraz, who dropped 16 consecutive points at the end of it.
“I started the match well, got a break and was serving for the set, but I don’t know what happened. It seems like I’m struggling every first set.
“But the way that I come back every time, I think I’m just really happy about it. Jaume’s a pretty tough player and these conditions suit him pretty well. I just tried to stay there as much as I could.
“I made a couple of breaks that helped a lot to get a bit of confidence, then I started to play more aggressively.”
After a sluggish start to the second set, Alcaraz raised his level to force a decider and the seven-times major champion wore world number 49 Munar down with stunning shot-making to book a title clash with Lehecka Tuesday.
Lehecka beat eighth seed Valentin Vacherot 6-4 6-2 to make the final and stay on course for his first trophy of the season.
Portugal became the first team to reach the Nations League quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Norway Sunday, while Jürgen Klopp’s Germany was held to a draw by Greece.
The Portuguese showed they did not need Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the camp Wednesday when coach Jorge Jesus relegated him to the bench.
Goncalo Ramos secured victory in the 86th minute after Joao Cancelo’s powerful finish had leveled Kristoffer Ajer’s stunning opener from outside the penalty area for World Cup quarterfinalists Norway.
After the game, Jesus said he was prepared to allow 41-year-old Ronaldo to return to the national team – but that it would have to be the player’s decision.
“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team … we can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide,” Jesus told reporters.
Klopp’s Germany failed to break down a resolute Greek side in a goalless stalemate in Thessaloniki.
Germany had the ball in the net through Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jonathan Burkardt in the first half but his effort was disallowed.
Klopp’s record as new German boss now reads: lost one, won one, drawn one.
The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 thanks to Joshua Zirkzee’s winner to move top of their Nations League group.
The Manchester United forward was a second-half substitute in Eindhoven and applied the decisive touch with a tap-in from Tijjani Reijnders’ cross.
The match also marked Virgil van Dijk’s 100th international appearance.
New Netherlands coach Xavi is unbeaten after four games, with two wins and two draws.
Israel’s players wore black armbands in their 1-1 draw against Ireland to commemorate Oct. 7, after Irish players had worn them in the previous match in Hungary to protest the genocidal war on Gaza.
The simple black armbands worn by the Israelis were inscribed with the numbers “7.10” to mark the date of the attack.
Just as in last week’s first match which Ireland won 3-0, the Irish players again bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem and the teams refused to shake hands before the match in the small Serbian town of Backa Topola.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had refused to host Israel on Irish soil for security reasons, following boycott calls.
On Sunday, Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from the penalty spot after 39 minutes after Dor Peretz fouled Jimmy Dunne.
But Peretz stabbed in an equalizer two minutes after half time, sending in from close range after a shot deflected off Ireland defender Liam Scales and into his path.
The result complicates Ireland’s qualification task as they now lie third in Group 3 of League B behind Austria and Kosovo. Israel are bottom with two points.
Wales lost again, as Rasmus Hojlund slotted in a 75th minute penalty to earn Denmark a 1-0 win in Cardiff.
Welsh goalkeeper Danny Ward had kept the Danes at bay with a string of saves but he conceded the penalty when he fouled Denmark midfielder Gustav Isaksen.
Whether navigating turbulent ocean currents or analyzing the intricacies of global power grids, Turkish engineer and open-water swimmer Nazife İdil Özkol relies on a unified philosophy: read the data accurately, adapt to changing conditions and persevere.
Özkol’s dual career path recently gained international recognition when she received the “Future Leader” award at the Talented Woman in Modern Industry 2026 awards in Russia.
Her athletic pursuits matched her professional achievements as she earned a third-place podium finish at the X-Waters open-water swimming race in Moscow.
Educated in electrical engineering and energy at Technical University of Sofia and Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Özkol focuses on the intersection of energy economics, artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
“Engineering taught me how to think and sports taught me how to apply that thinking under uncertainty and pressure,” Özkol said.
“Engineering taught me how to build a system, and sports taught me how to adapt when the system doesn’t work as expected,” she added.
Özkol’s journey in athletics began in her youth after a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) prompted her to channel her energy into structured discipline.
Moving from modern pentathlon and biathlon into open-water swimming, she competed in major domestic events, including the Iznik and Bosporus races.
“In the pool, everything is controlled,” Özkol said. “In open water, waves, currents, temperature, and wind change. You continuously read the environment and re-evaluate your direction and pace.”
That analytical approach proved decisive during the X-Waters competition in Moscow, where Özkol represented Türkiye among competitors from around 12 countries in what organizers dubbed a world championship event.
“When I finished the race, I didn’t even know I had finished third,” Özkol said. “Long-distance racing is primarily a mental battle. Reaching the podium in an international event as a Turkish female athlete was a source of great pride.”
Beyond athletics, Özkol’s professional research concentrates on industrial energy efficiency and the dual nature of emerging digital infrastructure.
She noted that while artificial intelligence offers optimization and grid management solutions, its operation generates substantial energy demand.
Looking ahead, Özkol anticipates a fundamental shift in global energy dynamics over the next two decades toward real-time data analysis, smart grids and demand-side management.
“The question of the future will not be ‘How much energy do we produce?’ but ‘How smartly can we manage the energy we produce and consume?'” Özkol said.
Özkol also emphasized the necessity of systemic equity for women across science, technology, engineering and sports, arguing that institutional backing must precede athletic or professional milestones.
“Support for women should not be given after success, but right at the beginning,” she said.
“Training, financial support, sponsorship and visibility are not favors; they are conditions for equality. The presence of women in science, engineering and sports is not an ‘inspirational story,’ but a matter of rights,” said Özkol.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s international future with Portugal has been thrown into doubt after the veteran forward left the team’s training camp after learning he would not start against Denmark for a second straight Nations League match.
The 41-year-old announced his departure late Wednesday, shortly after coach Jorge Jesus confirmed that Gonçalo Ramos would again lead the attack.
Ronaldo had been expected to train with his teammates at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium ahead of Thursday’s match but instead left the camp following a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
“Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.
Portugal went on to beat Denmark 4-2 without its captain, producing an emphatic attacking display that added another layer to the growing debate over Ronaldo’s role with the national team.
Ronaldo had remained on the bench for the entirety of Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway on Sunday. It was the first time since November 2024 that he had failed to appear for Portugal without being injured or suspended.
Jesus, who coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr for a year before taking charge of Portugal in July, had insisted there was no serious disagreement between them. He acknowledged, however, that Ronaldo was unhappy after being left out against Norway.
“There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus said after the Norway match.
The coach later explained that Ronaldo had warmed up for 20 to 30 minutes but was ultimately not brought onto the field.
“Any player, and I was a player myself, when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t get on, no one is happy about that,” Jesus said.
Jesus said he had informed Ronaldo before the Norway match that he could be used as a substitute but ultimately decided against making the change.
“Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” Jesus said.
The situation escalated after Jesus confirmed Wednesday that Ramos would start again against Denmark.
“If I need him, he’ll come on. If I don’t need him, he won’t,” Jesus said of Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s decision to leave the camp suggested that his frustration went beyond a single omission from the starting lineup. The Portugal captain also hinted that he could eventually reveal more about what prompted his departure.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated,” Ronaldo wrote.
“Now is time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates, without exception.”
Spanish sports newspaper Marca reported that Jesus and Proença followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to remain with the squad before the forward boarded his private jet.
The episode also prompted an angry response from Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, who criticized the Portuguese public in a post on Instagram.
“They don’t deserve to have the best of anything,” she wrote, adding that Portugal had become “envious, scornful, and ignorant” and deserved to return to the period before Ronaldo’s emergence.
The dispute has also spilled into the streets of Lisbon.
A Portugal fan sponsored a large billboard outside the Portuguese Football Federation headquarters expressing support for Ronaldo while criticizing Jesus. The artificial intelligence-generated billboard featured images of Ronaldo and the coach.
“Thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo, for all you have done for Portugal. You’re forever our captain,” the message next to Ronaldo read.
The section aimed at Jesus said the coach “wasn’t up to the task” and accused him of having an “inflated ego.” The billboard was quickly removed.
Fernando Maia, the fan who paid for the display, said he had no personal connection to Ronaldo or his representatives. Maia owns a billboard company and said his decision was motivated by gratitude for what Ronaldo has contributed to Portuguese football.
“I don’t know Ronaldo, I don’t know anyone on Ronaldo’s entourage,” Maia said in comments reported by Portuguese media. “I know myself, and I know something called gratitude.”
Maia also suggested that the dispute involved more than Jesus.
“Jorge Jesus was just the means for this to have happened, but there are more culprits,” he said.
He said he planned to display the same billboard outside the Estádio do Dragão when Portugal play their next Nations League match.
Jesus, meanwhile, sought to shift attention back to Portugal’s performance after the 4-2 victory over Denmark, stressing that the team’s result mattered more than the controversy surrounding its captain.
“This Portugal team scored four goals and put in a performance which, in my opinion, was of a very high standard,” Jesus said. “Of course, this is more important than anything else that has happened.”
But he also made clear that Ronaldo’s reputation would not exempt him from selection decisions.
“There are players with status. That much is crystal clear,” Jesus said. “But I’ll say it again: The rules are the same for everyone.”
The comments underline the difficult balance facing Jesus as he manages a player who has been central to Portugal’s identity for more than two decades.
Ronaldo recently indicated that this could be his final year in professional football. He is Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
His international career began in 2003, when he made his debut at 18. He subsequently played in the Euro 2004 final on home soil, reached the 2006 World Cup semifinals and captained Portugal to its first major international title at Euro 2016.
He has also represented Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus at club level while establishing himself as one of the most prolific scorers in football history.
Now, with Ronaldo approaching the end of his career, his relationship with Portugal has entered an uncertain chapter.
His decision to leave the training camp, followed by his promise to eventually explain his reasons, has raised questions over whether Thursday’s absence was simply a protest over his role or the beginning of a much larger break with the national team.
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