Political neutrality, as a fundamental framework of the sports movement, has been applied selectively and inconsistently with the core values set forth in the Olympic Charter. Major sports events are often subjected to political influences, particularly as tools of foreign policy to promote national, regional, or political agendas. Throughout history, especially during the rise of two superpowers, sports played a significant role in international relations, serving as a battleground for cultural confrontation without military action. Globalization further intensified this by introducing new international and intergovernmental actors, adding to the complexity of global sports governance.

This Research Topic aims to address the problem of the interplay between sports and politics, which has led to the governmentalization and politicization of the sports ecosystem. This often bypasses the principles of the Olympic Charter, including education and health, as well as the autonomy of sports. Following significant geopolitical shifts like the dissolution of the Soviet Union and emergence of new global powers (e.g., China) and asymmetric actors (e.g., Qatar), many countries have shown a growing interest in hosting major sports events to achieve non-sporting objectives. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has accelerated these shifts, providing new opportunities for regions like the Gulf and Asia to influence contemporary sport. These efforts, often labeled as sports washing by Western media and academia, lack a consistent and consensual definition. This Research Topic will explore these dynamics, aiming to clarify the distinction between sports propaganda and sports washing and to understand the impact of these practices on contemporary sports governance.

We invite contributors to explore various themes within this Research Topic, including but not limited to:
• Differences between sports propaganda and sports washing
• Case studies of sports propaganda and sports washing
• The concept of political neutrality in sports
• Emerging powers in sports
• The limits of sports diplomacy
• Human rights and the organization of major sports events
• The role of international and intergovernmental organizations
• Future sports governance
• Governmentalization and politicization of sports
• Regionalization of sports
• The role of the Global South
• The transition from self-governance to supervised autonomy of sports

We welcome a variety of manuscript types, including original research articles, reviews, case studies, and theoretical papers that contribute to understanding the complex relationship between geopolitics and sports.

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Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

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