International sports refer to any competition in which teams or athletes from different countries participate. The most well-known example is the Olympics, but there are also other world multi-sport events like the World Cup and the Paralympics. An important reason for the popularity of international sports is that they can be broadcast around the world and thus reach a much larger audience than domestic sports.
Moreover, a successful international event can boost the prestige of a city or country. This was clearly the case for Barcelona (1992), Sydney (2000) and London (2012), which all benefited from hosting an Olympic Games. Nonetheless, a number of issues have emerged surrounding the international sports scene in recent years. For example, in Mali, sexual abuse of women basketball players attracted international attention but did not result in any justice for the victims. In addition, some sports organisations are perceived as supporting corrupt governments or obstructing investigations into their own members’ activities.
The international sports market is worth between EUR 350 billion and EUR 450 billion and can be broken down into sub-categories such as infrastructure construction, licensing and merchandise sales. In addition, sports federations and leagues have a significant influence on the global gambling economy and are an important factor in societal health through physical activity and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Lastly, the growth of the internet and television has enhanced international sports’ reach further. The development of FIFA and the Olympic Games are some of the main milestones in the internationalisation of sport.