“The Idea of Sports is Pure and Noble”: Internationalism, Zionism and the Formation of a Global Universal Language

Abstract

Bridging the gap between international history, which often sees modern sport’s ideals as mere background noise masking economic or political motives, and philosophical and theoretical perspectives, which delve into the aesthetic appeal of sports, this article focuses on the interplay between the universal, ethical, and the spectacle of sports within Hebrew Culture in Palestine. Against the backdrop of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, the globalization of sports during the interwar period, and the emergence of FIFA and the IOC, it illustrates the growing influence of universal sports ideals within Zionist ultra-national revolutionary culture. By reassessing the mechanisms behind one of the most significant international phenomena of the twentieth century, and exploring the origins of inherent connection between physical activity, mega sporting events, and pseudo-religious discourse, this article offers a nuanced discussion on internationalism and globalization, particularly pertinent in our contemporary era, highlighted by the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and ongoing debates surrounding human rights violations in the name of sports.