As global attention turns to rumours that FIFA may award a new ‘Peace Prize’ to US President Donald Trump later next month, new research has argued that public debates about politics and sport need far more nuance than the familiar narratives of ‘sportswashing’ allow.
Sportswashing
Two new open-access journal articles by Dr Vitaly Kazakov have challenged popular assumptions about how political actors use sport to shape global opinion – and, crucially, how media and audiences participate in that process. Taken together, the studies offer a timely rethink at a moment when sport’s symbolic power is again colliding with international politics.
The first article, published in Sport in Society, revisits the now-ubiquitous term ‘sportswashing’,used to describe attempts by authoritarian governments or international organisations to launder their reputations through sport. Dr Kazakov argues that the concept is often taken for granted, treated as a straightforward description of elite and always effective narrative manipulation rather than a complex, contested and historically recurring phenomenon.
The research identifies what Dr Kazakov calls a ‘normative trap’ – a tendency for public commentary, policy analysis and even some academic work to embed moral judgements into the concept of “sportswashing” omitting important aspects of analysis. This, he suggests, can obscure the very dynamics the term is meant to illuminate.
Dr Kazakov says:
As debates continue about how meaningful FIFA’s new Peace Prize will be, and who it might be awarded to, it’s more important than ever to understand how narratives about sport take shape and impact political and social life around the globe. If we treat ‘sportswashing’ as a fixed label rather than a process involving media coverage and audience interpretation, we risk misunderstanding why these stories resonate – and who they actually influence.
Political messaging in sport
His second article, published in the International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, goes further by examining how information is circulated, authenticated and emotionally charged through sport. Using Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup as a case study, the article applies a five-part ‘disinformation lifecycle’ model developed by The University of Manchester’s Professors Vera Tolz and Stephen Hutchings alongside Dr Kazakov and Dr Sofia Tipaldou from Panteion University, Greece.
The model highlights how political messaging around sport evolves over time, crosses borders and adapts to different languages and cultural contexts. It also emphasises the active role played by journalists and global audiences, whose emotional investments in sport can amplify both criticism and celebration.
Dr Kazakov explains:
These studies show that sport doesn’t just transmit political messages – it transforms them. Media organisations, fans, NGOs and policymakers all contribute to how ideas about politics, morality and identity circulate around major sporting events.
FIFA’s apparent decision to issue an international peace award – one that may appeal to certain audiences more than the Nobel peace prize – to someone who it opaquely judges to be a ‘worthy winner’ makes it important to understand how this may resonate with political leaders and regular fans alike given the game’s global appeal.
Symbolic gestures from sporting bodies carry enormous weight
The research offers a pointed reminder that, in an era where symbolic gestures from global sporting bodies can carry enormous political weight, understanding the mechanics of narrative formation is essential. Debates around sport, reputation and political power are set to continue – and this work provides a crucial framework for interpreting them.
