Olympic Neutrality and Norm Emergence in International Sport: A Long-Term Perspective

The idea that sport is a separate domain that must be sheltered away not just from political interference but also from any kind of political issues, has almost become self-evident, to the point that sport’s neutrality seems just natural to many—a founding pillar of Olympism since its inception. This article adopts the opposite assumption: that international sport has been an integral part of the international system since its origins. Analyzing international sport as an institution, it interrogates the process and rationale that have led to the emergence of neutrality as one of its underlying norms, focusing on how wider developments in the international system steered this process. Relatedly, it discusses the specific function that neutrality has played within the wider normative framework of international sport and makes some final considerations as to why this has become especially salient in recent years.
Keywords: Sport, Olympism, International Olympic Committee, Institutionalism, Norms