Sport is a form of competitive recreation that involves physical activity and often uses rules or customs to ensure fair competition. The results of a competition can be determined by a variety of measurements, including objective and subjective factors.
The development of modern sports has been part of a larger process of globalization that includes a global economy, international social movements, and the diffusion of people, ideas, money, images, and cultures. It also reflects global patterns of economic, political, and social interdependencies that enable and constrain people’s actions in a variety of ways.
Sports and nationalism
Since the 19th century, sports have been used as a vehicle for national identity politics. Nationalism can be seen in both hegemonic and subnational forms, ranging from the patriotism of competing teams to xenophobia and chauvinism within spectatorship.
Nationalism has also been a central feature of many political struggles in Europe and North America. During the Cold War, for example, the U.S. Soviet Union invested considerable energy in its own team, and gymnastic clubs in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland were pivotal forces in a series of liberation struggles against Austrian and Russian rule.
Writing about sports requires a thorough knowledge of the sport itself, including history, league standings, controversies and other important information. In addition, a writer must be impartial with the facts but not be afraid to reveal his or her personal biases as a sports fan.