Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East

This Handbook provides a succinct overview of sport in the Middle East, drawing in scholars from a wide variety of geographical and disciplinary backgrounds (history, politics, sociology, economics and regional studies), with different methodological approaches, to create the ‘go-to’ text on the subject.

After the introduction, 33 chapters from leading subject experts cover areas including history, politics, society, economy and nationhood. The authors help shed light on how certain Middle Eastern countries have become increasingly active in international sports, and the efforts made to positioning themselves as the new global ‘sports hubs’. Split into five sections, the book offers a multi-disciplinary analysis of a diverse range of sports across the geographic Middle East, including football, mixed martial arts, rugby, athletics and cycling. The authors highlight and respond to issues such as the naturalisation of athletes, female athleticism, sports media and supporter cultures.

The Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East stands apart from previous research through offering first-hand accounts of sport in the area from authors who live and work in the region or have a history of regularly visiting and conducting research in the region. It will be of interest to academics and students alike, in the fields of Middle East politics, sport, sport in the Middle East, international relations, governance and sociology.

Introduction – Sport in the Middle East: Towards More Inclusive and Collaborative Efforts?, 1
Danyel Reiche and Paul Michael Brannagan

PART I
History, 11

1 Sport and Educational Development in the History of Oman, 13
Majid Al Busafi

2 ‘I Was as Lebanese as Anyone’: The Story of David Saad, Lebanon’s Last Jewish Olympian, 24
Mohamad El Chamaa

3 Riding in the Desert: Road Cycling in Qatar, 33
Thomas Ross Griffin

4 The 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia as a Transformative Moment in Qatar’s Sporting History, 43
Matthias Krug

5 Football for National Purposes in Qatar: Participation at Gulf Cup 1970 and Qatar FA Recognition by FIFA, 52
Luis Henrique Rolim Silva

6 The Historical Development of Football in the UAE: A Journey from a Pastime to a Symbol of National Identity, 64
Salma Thani

7 The Making of a Heritage Sport: Falconry in the UAE, 74
Sarina Wakefield

PART I I
Politics, 85

8 Controlling Iranian Soccer Is Mastering Iranian Politics, 87
James M. Dorsey

9 Sport, Diplomacy, Conflict and Peace: The Case of Israel, 96
Yair Galily and Tal Samuel-Azran

10 Using Sport as a National Soft Power Strategy: The Case of Mixed Martial Arts in Bahrain, 104
Nadim Nassif

11 The Syrian Men’s National Football Team as a Propaganda Tool of the Assad Government, 115
Nazih Osseiran

12 Olympic Bidding and Anti-Doping Policies in Turkey, 126
Cem Tinaz and Omer Onur Hertem

PART III
Society, 139

13 Barriers for Sport Participation of Children with Lower-Class Background in Turkey, 141
Selçuk Açıkgöz

14 Organising Sports Mega-Events and Sustainable Development Policies: The Case of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, 150
Ahmed Badran

15 Global Sport and Human Capital Soft Power: The Case of Qatar, 163
Paul Michael Brannagan

16 The Development of Women’s Sport in the Omani Context, 176
Abdul Rahim Al Droushi

17 Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv: A Microcosm of the Arab–Israeli Conflict and Peace Process, 186
Glen M.E. Duerr

18 Football Fandom in Egypt, 196
Connor T. Jerzak

19 The Politics and Passion of Middle Eastern Football Spectator Cultures, 208
Dag Tuastad

20 Ultras in Egypt: Massacred, Disbanded, Steadfast?, 219
Robbert Woltering

PART IV
Economy, 229

21 Saudi Arabia and Sport in the 21st Century: From Oil and Gas to Event-Driven Change, 231
Simon Chadwick and Paul Widdop

22 Sports Economics of Iran, 242
Morteza Dousti, Ali Mohsenifar and Taghi Ashouri

23 Politics of Football Debt and Financial Fair Play in Turkey, 255
Can Evren

24 Politics and Pirates: Sports Broadcasting in the Middle East, 265
Craig L. LaMay

25 Hosting Mega-Events in the Gulf, 276
Robert Kaspar

26 Sporting Cities and Economic Diversification in the Arabian Peninsula, 287
Natalie Koch

27 Investing in Sport: A Comparison of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, 297
Victor Olivereau

28 Understanding the Cultural Landscape of Sport in the United Arab Emirates, 310
Seth Joseph Perkin and P. David Howe

PART V
Nation, 321

29 Naturalised East African Long-Distance Runners in the Middle East, 323
Hannah Borenstein

30 Homo communautarius: The Influence of Politics on the Lebanese Sport Scene, 333
Axel Maugendre

31 Nationality Swapping in World Athletics: Cases and Contexts from the Middle East (1998–2016), 344
Gijsbert Oonk and Jorn Schulting

32 Beyond ‘Defecting’ and ‘Swapping’ Nationality: Emigrant Women Athletes and the Iranian Gendered Bio-Politics,  354
Ladan Rahbari

33 Inclusivity in an Environment of Exclusive Citizenship: The Multinational Qatari Women’s Rugby Team, 364
Danyel Reiche

Index, 376