International sports are games where the participants represent two or more nations. Often, these events can be seen on television and are a big part of the world’s culture. They can also impact the political and economic aspects of countries and their identities.
The most famous international sport is probably the Olympic Games, which were first held in Ancient Greece and re-established in 1896. They occur every four years and are a massive part of the global sporting calendar. Other large international sports include the FIFA World Cup, which is played every four years and consists of 21 football matches. Another major event is the European Games, a multi-sport competition along the lines of the Olympics but restricted to athletes from only European countries.
Besides the obvious sporting benefits of these events, they can also be used to promote the hosting country and its tourism industry. As such, the IOC and FIFA have bidding processes that recognise that the hosting city should be able to demonstrate sustainable improvements in infrastructure, transport and housing.
However, the globalisation of sport is not without its challenges, especially when it comes to social and cultural issues that have to do with gender equality, racism and sexism. For example, a recent study found that African players are more likely to suffer from fatal cardiovascular problems during football matches because they do not receive the same medical attention as their European counterparts. Moreover, athletes in authoritarian regimes may face bans from the sport because they refuse to support their governments politically.