International sports occur when two or more countries compete against each other in any sport, including the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. These competitions may be held in a single country, as with the London Olympics or the England football team’s home matches at Wembley Stadium, or on neutral ground, such as the America’s Cup sailing yacht tournament (also known as “the Auld Mug”).
Each sport is governed by an international federation, a non-governmental organization that is responsible for the administration of one or more sports at the global level. These governing bodies set the rules and procedures for their sport, and are recognized by the International Olympic Committee and cooperate with it in ensuring that its activities comply with the Olympic Charter.
The earliest international sporting events, such as the ancient Olympia Games, brought city states together for peaceful competition and put all internal conflict on hold. While modern sports can bring countries together, they can also spark controversy. International athletes have had to deal with a variety of issues, from racism and homophobia to drug abuse and violence.
International sports law is the legal framework regulating sports on the international level, and deals with topics like dispute resolution, rights of athletes and doping. Many leading sports law journals, such as the Marquette Sports Law Review and Les Cahiers de droit du sport, include articles on international sports law topics. A few of these publications are available in print form at Eckstein Library, shelved alphabetically on the 4th floor.