Coe warns politicians against interfering in sports, cites FIFA and Olympic ban
Axios (Tổng hợp từ Al Jazeera English)
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has warned against growing political interference in sports, citing the need for balance ahead of the 2028 Olympics. He also addressed the FIFA controversy and stood by the ban on Russian athletes.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has issued a strong warning about the increasing interference of politicians in sports, with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon. Speaking at the European Championships over the weekend, Coe stressed the need for balance in the relationship between sports and politics.
“The balance is to keep politicians on the bus, but not let them get near the steering wheel,” Coe told reporters when asked how to avoid political chaos at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The two-time Olympic champion, who led the London 2012 organizing committee, said a good relationship with the government is crucial for the success of any Games. “I ran the London Olympics. I know that having a really strong working relationship with the government and the prime minister is vital,” said Coe, a former British lawmaker. “Running the Games depends largely on those relationships—with the Treasury, the Ministry of Defence, the Home Security Ministry, or as we call it, the Home Office.”
However, when calls come to influence sports matters, Coe believes it is “entirely down to the robustness of the sports organization to say: ‘I hear what you say, but thank you and goodnight.’” He stressed the need to keep politicians away from the “driving seat.”
Coe’s remarks come amid a crisis of confidence at FIFA after U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to demand the lifting of a ban on American striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup. FIFA subsequently suspended the ban. Trump will be nearing the end of his second term when the Los Angeles Games take place.
On private investment funds in sports, Coe said it is not unusual, as such funds have invested in sports over the past decade. He revealed that many national athletics federations are considering partnerships with external revenue sources, including private equity. However, he also warned that appropriate governance, checks, balances, and consultation mechanisms are needed to ensure transparency and effectiveness.
Regarding the ban on Russian athletes, Coe stated he would appear at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to defend World Athletics' position. The federation has maintained the ban imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifting its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and recommending that sports federations not check Russian athletes for neutrality.
“I will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to defend our position,” said Coe, who lost his bid for the IOC presidency last year. “We will continue to do what we believe is best for our sport. The supremacy of an international federation in determining eligibility is fundamental. This is not a political or passport issue. It is about the integrity of competition. That is the stance we will defend.”
