Sports have been a significant contributor to national identity formation. They have been used to represent a nation’s cultural, economic and political standing. During the 20th century, sports were incorporated into transnational cosmopolitan culture.
The creation of national sports organizations has helped to make sports a global phenomenon. In addition, the international acceptance of rules and regulations has created a standardized global structure for sport. This structure helps to shape the emotional experience of athletes and sports subcultures.
Traditionally, sport is a physical contest that can be autotelic. However, new games are invented according to specifications, and athletes train systematically to achieve their peak physical performance.
Sports have evolved to incorporate a variety of body cultures. Sports in Asia and Africa have a different focus from those in Western societies. Athletes from these countries have been recruited to Western sports clubs.
Many of the more modern sports have been marketed as signs of prestige and distinction. They have also been marketed as sources of enjoyment.
Athletes from repressed ethnic groups in Eastern Europe, Asia and the Americas have been forced to adopt Western sports. They have used regular recurring sports festivals to reinforce their identities.
After World War II, basketball became a globally popular sport. Some of the world’s best athletes migrated between Western nations and the former Soviet bloc.
After the Cold War, the dissolution of the Soviet bloc led to a return to an international order. However, global processes may be decreasing the power of the West.