Global Sport in the Age of Authoritarian Power

Global Sport in the Age of Authoritarian Power analyzes how authoritarian and hybrid regimes strategically use global sport to gain domestic legitimacy, international influence and geopolitical advantage, while transforming governance structures, market dynamics and the cultural experience of sport worldwide.

This volume presents a structured and theoretically grounded analysis of authoritarian engagement with global sport, going beyond popular lenses like sportswashing. The book identifies distinct engagement mechanisms, including hosting, ownership, sponsorship and governance influence, and sets out diverse empirical case studies from the Gulf, China and other emerging powers. By integrating political economy, governance and cultural perspectives, the book elucidates both the motivations behind authoritarian investment in sport and the operational strategies and consequences for global sport systems, institutions and stakeholders.

The book is for scholars, postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students in sport management, international relations and political economy, as well as practitioners, policy analysts and stakeholders concerned with the governance and geopolitics of global sport.

Jonathan Sullivan is an Associate Professor in Politics and IR at the University of Nottingham. He is a China specialist and political scientist. His work spans political communication, digital politics, foreign relations and sport. Recent books include Taiwan: A contested democracy under threat (2024) and Football, business and state power in contemporary China (2026). His latest book focuses on China’s digital influencer (wanghong) cultural economy.

Ricardo Fernández Gúdel is a Lecturer in Business Management and International Trade at the University of Valladolid, where he is affiliated with the Asian Studies Centre within the Faculty of Commerce and Labour Relations. He also serves as Director of the Observatory of Sport, Leisure and Tourism at the same faculty. His research focuses on sports management and sports diplomacy, with particular emphasis on Asia and ownership structures in the global sports industry.

Emilio Hernández-Correa is a Lecturer in International Trade and Cultural Intelligence at the University of Valladolid. He serves as Deputy Director of the Asian Studies Centre. His research focuses on the Chinese sports industry, outbound Chinese tourism and its economic impact, international trade with China, and intercultural relations within organisations. He has extensive professional and research experience in China, particularly in the tourism and trade sectors, and has recently published his first book on Chinese global governance.