Gaming the State System
Can the Haudenosaunee Confederacy become the first Indigenous nation to secure an Olympic berth?
The Geopolitical Stakes of Olympic Perfection—and Defection
The Tokyo Games have brought a surge of nationalism and laid bare the methods of autocrats like Belarus’s Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Nationalism Is Underrated by Intellectuals
From enjoying the Olympics to defeating COVID-19, a small dose of collective pride can go a long way toward success.
The Pathological Obsession With Moving the Olympics
Having a single host site would be a simple—and entirely traditional—fix for what ails the Games.
The IOC Should Stop Lying to Itself About the Beijing Olympics
Allowing the Games to happen alongside an ongoing genocide would be a disaster.
Japan Wasted a Golden Chance for Olympic Reconciliation
Tokyo-Seoul relations remain mired in bad history and petty insults.
Athletes Are Post-National Now
Decades of sex abuse turned American gymnasts away from their federation. Will other sports follow suit?
The Long and Infuriating History of Bad Olympic Bosses
Thomas Bach has joined a long line of IOC chiefs who have been hated by everyone associated with the Games.
Europe’s Super League Is Dead, but UEFA Needs Reform
European soccer administrators have stifled the beautiful game. It’s time to rein them in.
China’s Ultramarathon Tragedy Was a Fad Gone Bad
Inexperienced companies rushing into badly regulated new sectors is a recipe for disaster.
Suga’s Olympic-Sized Gamble
Backed by the G-7, Japan’s prime minister will likely go ahead with the games. How they play out will determine his survival.
Unlucky Tokyo Rolls the Olympic Dice—Again
With cancellation so prominent in Japan’s Olympic history, Tokyo 2021 has emerged as a cautionary tale.
As the Clock Ticks, Japanese Wonder If the Olympics Are Worth the Risk
Opponents are calling foul, but the data suggests the event can be pulled off.
American Sports Logic Created Soccer’s Failed Super League
The commercial reasoning was sound—but the culture clash doomed plans.
Soccer’s Financial Crisis Could Transform Leagues Forever
Private equity’s power may eliminate promotion and relegation.
Women Athletes Subjected to ‘Sex Testing’ are Faced With Impossible Choices
The cases of Caster Semenya and Dutee Chand shed light on the invasive medical procedures endured by intersex athletes around the world.
Tokyo Wants the Olympics to Happen Even if the Public Doesn’t
The Japanese government is locked into what critics call a misguided project.
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