The Neutrality Paradox in Sport: Governance, Politics and Human Rights After Ukraine

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, sanctions were implemented that banned Russia from most international sports. As a result, sport governing bodies (SGBs) have made a marked shift in their tradition of neutrality, to a point of no return. In light of this, this book asks what is next for SGBs. It provides an analysis of the root problem that sport governing bodies have had with politics since their inception: a paradoxical treatment of neutrality. This can be evidenced by their awarding of Mega-Sport Events to authoritarian states and also through the SGBs’ own desire to make a difference by promoting human rights and sustainable development. Good or bad, the author argues that their neutrality principles are invalidated by their actions.
Offering interdisciplinary research with empirical examples, this issue is explored in an engaging, yet analytical way, making it valuable reading for researchers and students interested in sport management, for organisations and also policy makers. This book presents a pioneering study of neutrality and autonomy in sport in light of the Ukraine crisis, and addresses a growing appetite in academia on how sport governing bodies will reconcile their commitments to societal progress, whilst maintaining neutrality.

Hans Erik Næss is a Professor of Sport Management at Department of Leadership and Organization, Kristiania University College, Norway. He is the author of A History of Organizational Change: The case of Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), 1946-2020 (Palgrave Macmillan 2020) and his current work focuses on the interconnections between sport, sustainability and human rights.