The College of Political Science at the University of Baghdad, in cooperation with Hammurabi Center for Research and Strategic Studies, held a joint scientific symposium under the title “Utilizing Sports in Politics,” where the lecture was given by Professor Dr. Saad Moneim Nafi, under the auspices of the Dean of the College, Assistant Professor Dr. Adel Al-Budaiwi.
The symposium addressed a fundamental idea by including the topic of sports, and based on its great importance and the extent of its impact on societies, it is no longer just a physical activity or a hobby that sports teams and forums compete to master, but rather it has become a soft power for countries within the framework of sports diplomacy. It contributes to presenting a certain image of countries which possesses distinctive capabilities in this field and gives its position a special character. In addition to being reflected in the nature of relations between people and countries, negatively or positively, by employing sports activities through the political responses of countries within the framework of managing international politics, and an example is shown in the behavior of the West against the Soviet Union, or Germany and Japan before, during, and after World War II, or certain countries boycotting tournaments based on their political positions towards the participating countries or the tournament hosting country…etc.
The symposium is ended with a number of recommendations, the most prominent of which is the need to give the sports sector greater importance due to its popular, political, and diplomatic role. At the very end an open discussion was inaugurated for the attendees to interact their ideas and opinions on the subject.
