International sports refer to competitions between two or more countries, the most famous example being the Olympic Games. However, there are also many other multi-sport events and individual sport championships that take place across the globe. These international events can be a major source of entertainment for people all over the world, and can also have a great impact on the political, economical and cultural aspects of the competing countries.
The Olympic Games is the world’s oldest international sporting event. It started as a series of athletic competitions between city states in Ancient Greece. The ancient Olympics was considered to be a form of diplomacy, and any internal struggles between cities would be put on hold during the event.
Since then, the Olympic Games have become a global phenomenon with events held all over the world. The modern Olympics are often criticized for being too commercialised and politicized, and the event has been used by some authoritarian regimes to showcase their oppressive policies.
There are currently 35 sports on the Olympic programme. Each country has a national Olympic committee (NOC) that is responsible for their participation at the Olympic Games and other events sponsored by the IOC.
The international federations (IFs) govern the world’s various sports disciplines and monitor their everyday administration and organisation. They are also responsible for guaranteeing the regular organisation of competitions and respect for the rules of fair play. IFs are the first line of defence for athletes who face abuse by their governments or other sports organisations. For instance, Zohreh Abdollahkhani, a student in Trondheim from Iran, has spoken out about how her government’s treatment of athletes has prevented her from participating in the Olympics.