At its most noble level, international sports unite communities and foster intercultural exchange and friendship. At its basest, however, sport can become a tool for major countries, brands and even international politics. It is also a magnet for those seeking to cheat in order to gain a competitive edge.
The Olympics are the most visible of all international sports events, with its origins in the Ancient Olympic Games in 776 B.C and the modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. Other major international sports include the Cricket World Cup (by one estimate, 3 billion people around the world watch or play cricket), the UEFA European Championships, the French Open tennis tournament, the Giro d’Italia cycling race, and the America’s Cup sailing competition.
Hosting a major international sporting event can have both tangible and intangible impacts, with the most obvious being improved transport infrastructure, urban regeneration and new parks. Less obvious, but equally important, is the increased prestige and status as a global tourist destination conferred by the event. The Olympics has done this for Barcelona, Sydney and London.
International sports can provide a platform for addressing a wide range of social issues, from gender equality to environmental sustainability. International sporting organisations, such as CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, can hold participating countries accountable for human rights violations in their regions by requiring compliance with the Olympic Charter and other international treaties that prohibit discrimination. For example, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights includes the right to education and participation in cultural life.