# Coe urges politicians to support sport, not control it 2026-08-15T02:45:27+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has urged sporting bodies to work closely with governments while resisting political interference. Speaking at the European championships, Coe said politicians should remain “on the bus” but stay away from the steering wheel. He cited the need for government cooperation in staging major events, while arguing that sporting organisations must withstand pressure over competition decisions. Coe also defended World Athletics’ ban on Russian athletes and said he would appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport against Russian Athletics’ challenge. He backed private investment in sport, but said deals require transparency, consultation and strong checks. His comments came as FIFA faces criticism after overturning Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension following a call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: Court of Arbitration for Sport, Donald Trump, FIFA, Folarin Balogun, Sebastian Coe, World Athletics Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/coe-urges-politicians-to-support-sport-not-control-it/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/coe-urges-politicians-to-support-sport-not-control-it/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.