Bread, Circuses, and Regime Change

From the pitch to the cage, major sports institutions have helped recast Donald Trump as a “peace president”—even as the bombs keep falling.

Mar 1 • Karim Zidan

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February 2026

In The Shadow of the Cage shortlisted for prize

My debut book has been shortlisted for the 2026 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Prize.

Feb 20 • Karim Zidan

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Inside Dana White and TKO’s Lobbying Effort to Reshape Boxing

Ari Emanuel, Dana White, and their allies are cashing in their lobbying chips as they seek to gain support for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival…

Feb 12 • Seán O’Reilly

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January 2026

The Empty Threat of a World Cup Boycott

Boycotts demand backbone, moral clarity, and a willingness to absorb real costs. European leaders have shown, time and again, that they possess none of…

Jan 28 • Karim Zidan

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"In my country, I suffer injustice"

In Morocco, football has emerged as a battleground between political aspirations and popular dreams.

Jan 20 • Karim Zidan

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African Football and the Long Shadow of Empire

Once a force for decolonization and African pride, the continent's crowning jewel of football—the AFCON—is increasingly beholden to local autocrats and…

Jan 9 • Karim Zidan

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December 2025

The Price of Looking the Other Way

While UAE-backed forces are accused of mass killings in Sudan, the NBA is deepening its partnership with the controversial Gulf state.

Dec 29, 2025 • Karim Zidan

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As Christmas Nears, Iranian Boxing Champion’s Execution Feared

Prison officials have transferred a boxing champion-turned-political prisoner sentenced to death to solitary confinement, raising concerns among…

Dec 23, 2025 • Karim Zidan

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Qatar was watching us all along

“We had profiles for journalists: who was friendly, who was supportive, who was easygoing, who was critical and who was problematic. And we had a way to…

Dec 16, 2025 • Karim Zidan

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All The President's Men

While Donald Trump has long used sports as a stage to launder his reputation, promote his brand, and propagate his political ideology, his efforts have…

Dec 12, 2025 • Karim Zidan

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The Many Crypto Schemes of Khabib Nurmagomedov

As UFC champion, Khabib built a brand on humility, faith, and denouncing vices like gambling. His brand is now repeatedly deployed to legitimize…

Dec 4, 2025 • Chris Dalby

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When the World Cup Became America First

By aligning with FIFA and steering preparations, Donald Trump has turned football’s global spectacle into a tool for his MAGA vision.

Dec 2, 2025 • Karim Zidan

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