This innovative new text examines sport's relationship with politics and argues that sport has always been political, even as far back as antiquity. However, in the last 30 years there has been an unprecedented politicization of sport through increasing government intervention.

Jonathan Grix takes a comprehensive and engaging look at sport politics by examining state involvement in initiatives from sports mega-events through to grass-roots and community sport activities. Providing an accessible introduction to this growing area of study, the text examines a number of approaches to the topic – including theories from Political Science, Sociology and International Relations – and adopts a critical framework throughout. In doing so the text discusses the relationship between social capital and sport, how governments use sport for non-sporting objectives and the role of governance in sport policy. Real-world examples demonstrate just how entwined sport and politics are: from ardent soccer fans effectively 'locked-in' by ever-increasing ticket prices, to taxpayer's money funding ever more extravagant international sports mega-events, to the moral and political implications of doping.

The strength of this book is mirrored in its political-science approach that is pursued consistently, while problem awareness for the political dimension of sport is basically illustrated … The value of the volume above all lies in sensitising readers to individual topics; as a systematic text book and regarding the linkage between sport and protest. * Jürgen Mittag, Moving the Social, Vol. 61 *

Jonathan Grix is Reader in Sport Policy and Politics at the University of Birmingham, UK. He has authored and edited a range of books and articles bringing insights from Political Science and International Relations to bear on the under-theorised field of Sport Studies.