Sports Politika

Following our conversation in the lead-up to the UFC White House spectacle, it only made sense to catch up with Luke Thomas again afterwards to make sense of the grotesque propaganda spectacle. Get full access to Sports Politika at www.sportspolitika.news/subscribe

Get full access to Sports Politika at www.sportspolitika.news/subscribe

During the final day of the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum, I hosted a fireside chat with Abdullah Ibhais—the former media manager jailed for refusing to spin Qatar's migrant worker abuses ahead of the 2022 World Cup—where he delved into the entire affair in detail. During our 45-minute sit down, Abdullah delved into his role as a media manager for Qatar’s Supreme Organizing Committee, the incidents that...

The upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics are embroiled in numerous controversies, casting a shadow over the the global event. Corruption probes have targeted the organizing committee, raising issues of favouritism and misappropriation of funds​ The participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under neutral flags has sparked debate amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, while the lack of similar sanctions ag...

“If there was ever going to be any kind of age of accountability in the sport, at least for now, the window is closed.” This is what Luke Thomas said to me when I asked him about the state of the mixed martial arts landscape during an appearance on the Sports Politika podcast ahead of UFC 300. The renowned MMA analyst and pundit was right. From the demise of investigative media outlets that once h...

Over the past eight years, Saudi Arabia's sports strategy has transformed from a simple reputation management tool to a comprehensive soft power plan encompassing regional diplomacy, economic diversification, global impact, and a continuous stream of entertainment for the nation's youth. From encroachments into combat sports, racing, golf and tennis to becoming the sole bidder for the 2034 World C...

Over the past few months, I’ve been reading a lot of literature to do with Israel-Palestine. One of the books that I found most fascinating was a book by Nicholas Blincoe called “More Noble Than War: A Football History of Israel-Palestine.” It was an exceptional read that managed to delve into one of the most complex political subjects through a football lens, which in turn helped bring out its hu...

“Gianni Infantino doesn’t feel Palestinian today.” This was among the most poignant lines in a speech delivered by Katarina Pijetlovic, associate professor at the Catolica Global School of Law in Lisbon, during the 2024 Play the Game conference in Trondheim, Norway. Her talk underscored the glaring disparity in international sports organizations' reactions to the war in Gaza compared to their resp...

Over the past eight years, Saudi Arabia's sports strategy has transformed from a simple reputation management tool to a comprehensive soft power plan encompassing regional diplomacy, economic diversification, global impact, and a continuous stream of entertainment for the nation's youth. Few understand the kingdom’s recent transformation like Stanis Elsborg, the senior analyst for Danish initiativ...

In 2010, Flash Entertainment—a state-owned live entertainment company based in Abu Dhabi—purchased a 10% stake in the UFC, kickstarting a long-term partnership between the world’s leading MMA organization and the UAE government. Much has changed in the 14 years that followed. The UFC entered a formal partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, established a “Fight Island” safe...

Are UFC fighter facing visa bans for associating with Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov? Why did I never join the Mixed Martial Arts Journalist Association (MMAJA)? What are some of the lesser known countries practising sportswashing? And did Hamas start the ongoing war in Gaza? These are some of the listener questions that I answer in the latest edition of the Sports Politika podcast. Happy listenin...

In the U.S. and around the world, MMA's embrace of outsider sports fans and right-wing politicians has helped create a wave of athletes activating around extremist causes and conspiracies. This episode of the Sports Politika podcast will delve into some of these examples, including the UFC’s longstanding relationship with Donald Trump, Conor McGregor being investigated by Irish police over “hate s...

Hey readers, I love writing. I expect keep writing until the day I die. But I also know when it is time to challenge myself with different mediums in my quest to tell stories. Podcasts aren’t exactly new but they are new to me. I’ve been on plenty of podcasts over the years but I have never tried speaking into a microphone—alone—for an extended period of time and then publish it into the ether kno...