Now Reading: Coe urges politicians to support sport, not control it
-
01
Coe urges politicians to support sport, not control it
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The easy narrative is that every government link corrupts sport, or that private money automatically improves it. Coe’s position is less tidy and more practical: major events need public cooperation, but competition rules need institutional independence. That principle will be tested by the CAS ruling on Russian athletes and by whether FIFA can disclose who benefits from commercial deals. Those outcomes matter more than another memorable metaphor.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
