COLUMN: Will sports ever stop cozying up to strongmen?

KIFI

Published March 3, 2022 5:05 PM

By JIM LITKE
AP Sports Columnist

Strongmen and sports are a match made in hell, but that never bothered the International Olympic Committee before. Besides, who could have guessed that Russia and China would use the Games as a pretext to to crack down on dissent or invade a neighboring country? The answer: Everyone but the IOC and FIFA, for that matter. History is littered with examples of despots staging or sponsoring sporting events to divert attention from sins ranging from the denial of basic human rights to targeted killings. But it’s going to be a lot harder to look the other way now.

Article Topic Follows: AP National Sports

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