Terrorism in sport

Terrorism in Sport

With news of the Boston bombings still fresh in the public’s memory, terrorism on the world sporting stage must be a major worry for event organisers.

The London marathon was quiet in comparison with no major incidents, but for the average spectator it is an added risk to what is supposed to be an enjoyable occasion.

The close proximity and sheer number of people at many stadia means potential attacks could be devastating, but the amount of security at the average sporting event coupled with the (relatively) low chance of an attack in the first place leaves organisers in a real predicament.

Do they tighten security even further, leaving fans feeling the force of the change, or do they leave things as they are and hope for the best?

The families of those affected by the shocking events at Boston would probably wish for more stringent methods, as you can’t put a price on human life.

Attacks at events such as the marathon show that the impact of terrorism can be felt worldwide, but is that necessarily helpful to their cause?

The focus as ever tends to be on the actions themselves, not the cause they wished to promote, which inevitably leads to more anger on both sides.

To some, sporting arenas are as sacred as any place of worship and should be afforded the same reverence, but the attention given to sport by a lot of the public means attacks will be publicised.

With the world as it is, peace seems to be a long way away and attacks like these may indeed continue to occur in the future.

Terrorism has no place in sport and it isn’t the best platform to purport a political ideology. Ideals like discipline, team-work and fair play are the more likely candidates, rather than viewpoints on war, policy or the economy.

Stories of England’s wartime game of football against Germany come to mind when the idea that sport can transcend politics is put forward, but does sport deserve such special dispensation?

Sport can be used as a great tool to bring people together, but terrorism in sport only serves to drag people further apart.

On the sporting stage, all competitors are equal before they start. When the worlds inequality spills over the threshold and threatens to take centre stage, well.. Maybe there are more important things than sport going on in the world at the moment.