Sport and politics have become inseparably entwined. From the volatile nationalism of international soccer to human rights controversies surrounding the Beijing Olympics, sport is both an important factor in political discourse and shaped by the wider political environment. In this ground-breaking and thought provoking book, Alan Bairner offers a comprehensive and critical survey of the relationship between sport and politics and argues that, by understanding this relationship, we can develop a much more nuanced understanding of both sport and politics as aspects of culture.

Sport and politics have become inseparably entwined. From the volatile nationalism of international soccer to human rights controversies surrounding the Beijing Olympics, sport is both an important factor in political discourse and shaped by the wider political environment. In this ground-breaking and thought provoking book, Alan Bairner offers a comprehensive and critical survey of the relationship between sport and politics and argues that, by understanding this relationship, we can develop a much more nuanced understanding of both sport and politics as aspects of culture.