Despots are taking over your favorite sports. Here is what you can do about it

Support my mission to keep you aware, engaged and empowered to take action against the rising tide of despotic influence in sports.

Welcome to Sports Politika, a media platform focused on the intersection of sports, power and politics. This outlet was founded by investigative journalist and researcher Karim Zidan and relies on the support of readers like you. 

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On Tuesday, Manchester City—one of the most powerful clubs in English football that also happens to be owned by the Abu Dhabi monarchy—launched unprecedented legal action against the English Premier League, plunging the league into a state of “civil war.”

City—the first club in English football to win the league title in four consecutive seasons—claimed in the legal document viewed by The Times to be the victims of “discrimination” and a “tyranny of the majority.” The lawsuit comes ahead of a Premier League hearing in November that will address more than 100 charges against City for breaching financial fair play rules. The hearing could lead to hefty fines and even the possibility of regulation, depending on the outcome. 

For those of you who have been reading Sports Politika over the past 15 months, this development should come as no surprise. Gulf state monarchies have been flexing their financial muscle on less-resourced leagues and teams for years. Saudi Arabia’s state-owned LIV Golf entity filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour before attempting a hostile takeover of the organization in 2023. The kingdom also uses non-disparagement agreements, under the threat of legal recourse, stop athletes who work with them, like Lionel Messi, from speaking out of turn. 

This practice is all too common. Years ago, when I was still writing for Bloody Elbow, Bahrain’s monarchy threatened legal action against me and the site for an article we had published about the monarchy’s influence in MMA and football. 

While these despotic regimes are more than capable of violent responses to critics—look no further than Saudi’s dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi—the reality is that they often prefer using legal tactics to intimidate and coerce those they see as barriers to their goals. Similarly, in the case of City, the club possesses more financial resources than the Premier League and is adept at exploiting the organization's weaknesses within the boundaries of the British legal system.

The rising tide of despotic influence in sports—sanctioned through a mixture of litigation and checkbook diplomacy—is difficult to ignore. Many sports fans have watched the slow takeover of their favourite sports—from the UFC serving itself up as a platform for self-styled authoritarian Donald Trump to Rwandan autocrat Paul Kagame’s encroachment on the NBA and football—with a mixture of helplessness and despair, others with apathy, or worse, full-throated support for their tyrannical overlords. 

Nevertheless, it can be challenging to see the bigger picture or find ways to feel empowered in the face of such blatant displays of soft power. Here are some strategies you could consider for taking action:

1. Build your awareness 

Despite claims by my most vocal critics that I am a proponent of so-called “cancel culture,” the reality is that I have never actually called for readers and individual sports fans to boycott an entity based on my reporting. In fact, whenever I am asked what readers can do when confronted with creeping authoritarianism in sports, my first suggestion is for fans to build their awareness about the topic, as well learn as much as possible about the regimes investing in your sports.

This may seem like a cliche, but knowledge truly is your most powerful weapon. It is a tool against oppression, propaganda, and idiocy alike, and will allow you to formulate educated opinions based on a plethora of resources.

This leads to my next point.

2. Support independent outlets like Sports Politika

Over the past decade, I have dedicated myself to covering the intersection of sports and politics. During that time, I’ve covered the political ramifications of the 2014 Winter Games and 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, tyrannical warlords like Ramzan Kadyrov, neo-Nazi fight clubs, and the UFC’s gradual transformation into Donald Trump’s propaganda arm, among many, many other topics.

Since launching Sports Politika in March 2023, I’ve expanded the breadth of topics and themes further, looking into the rise of Gulf state monarchies across sports, as well as how India’s autocratic leader Modi uses of cricket as a form of nation branding and soft power. I’ve asked questions such as “Can the US safely host the 2026 World Cup?” and “Did the Pharaohs invent sports diplomacy?”

Most importantly, I have also been at the forefront of reporting on Israel’s war on Gaza and the widespread ramifications it has had on the world of sports.

It cannot be overstated that none of this reporting over the past 15 months—more than 150 articles to date—would have been possible without the support of Sports Politika’s paid subscribers. You are the lifeblood of this media venture and we continue to rely on your generosity to ensure that we remain at the forefront of these important stories as they develop.

There are, however, thousands of you loyal Sports Politika readers who are yet to upgrade your subscriptions. If you value the work we produce, and remain concerned about the creeping authoritarianism in sports, I urge you to become a paid subscriber today. Your donations will directly fund the site’s reporting, as well as any travel required for longform investigations.

To sweeten the deal, here is a 20% discount on annual subscriptions:

3. Find your voice

During the Champions League final last Saturday at Wembley, Borussia Dortmund’s fans held up a massive banner protesting their club’s decision to sign a three-year sponsorship agreement with Rheinmetall, one of Europe's biggest arms manufacturers that also happens to supply Israel arms and ammunition for its ongoing war. 

While Dortmund went on to lose the final, the fan protest was memorable in that it signified how sports fans can remain passionate and loyal to their clubs while also criticizing facets of the club that they do not agree with. 

Another example of such fan groups include NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing, a group of Newcastle United fans that raise awareness about the human rights abuses committed by the Saudi regime and push back against their efforts to buy prestige through their beloved club.

There is also Scotland’s Celtic Football Club, which was fined $19,000 after its fans waved Palestinian flags during a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid in October 2023. The protest was undertaken by the Green Brigade – an ultras group formed in 2006.

These are just some ways sports fans can feel empowered in the face of Gulf state monarchies attempting to dominate their favorite sports. While these strategies are neither foolproof nor simple, they do have an impact.

Consider this: by refusing to normalize these regimes and their expanding influence, you are resisting the very soft power these authorities seek to establish. And for authoritarians, nothing is more threatening than rebellion.

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