Question 1

Success in international competition frequently serves as a mechanism by which a
country's ruling elite unites its citizens and attempts to impress the citizens of other countries.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Success in international competition can be a source of national pride and can help foster a sense of unity among citizens. It can also be used as a way to showcase a country's achievements to others, potentially improving its reputation on the global stage.

Question 2

The feminist movement popularized the slogan "The personal is political" to rebut critics who accused women of "playing politics" when they sought equal treatment and opportunity in the various sectors of their lives.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately reflects the origin and meaning of the slogan "The personal is political" within the feminist movement.

Question 3

The high visibility of international sporting events has helped them become a focus for political intervention.

Accepted Answer

International sporting events have a significant global audience and often attract media attention, making them a platform for political messages or actions. Therefore, they have become a focus for political intervention. Examples include boycotts of the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, protests during the 1968 Olympics, and political statements made by athletes at various events.

Question 4

The Olympic Games remained free of politics until the Palestinian terrorists killed eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 games.

Accepted Answer

The Olympic Games had been politicized prior to the 1972 Munich Olympics, with boycotts and other political protests occurring at previous games. However, the terrorist attack on the Israeli athletes brought politics to the forefront and had a significant impact on future Olympic security measures.

Question 5

Because the modern Olympic Games are motivated by the noble thought that international sports competition is primarily for the promotion of peace among nations, no country has ever been barred from participation in an Olympiad.

Accepted Answer

Countries have been barred from participating in the Olympics for various reasons, including political ones, such as South Africa during the apartheid era.

Question 6

Sport as an instrument of national policy is limited to the industrialized nations of the world.

Accepted Answer

Sport has been used as an instrument of national policy by both industrialized and developing nations. Examples include China's investment in sports as a means of boosting its global influence, and South Africa's use of sport to unify its diverse population after the end of apartheid.

Question 7

Displays at sporting events are not political because they support the status quo.

Accepted Answer

Displays at sporting events can be political regardless of whether they support the status quo or challenge it. For example, displaying a banner supporting a controversial political candidate or cause would be considered political, even if it aligns with the current status quo.

Question 8

Sport has been used as a forum to protest a number of social practices, but it was never used to protest apartheid in South Africa.

Accepted Answer

Sport was actually used as a major tool to protest against apartheid in South Africa. The international sports community boycotted South Africa and refused to compete with or against South African teams. This isolation contributed to the eventual downfall of apartheid in South Africa.

Question 9

The Olympic Games and other international games tend to promote an "us versus them" feeling among athletes, coaches, politicians, the press, and fans.

Accepted Answer

The competitive nature of these games can lead to a sense of national pride and competition, which can fuel an "us versus them" mentality among participants and spectators.

Question 10

Rituals and ceremonies commonly held in conjunction with sporting events are frequently used to promote nationalism.

Accepted Answer

Rituals and ceremonies, such as the singing of the national anthem or the waving of the national flag, are often used to foster a sense of national pride and unity among fans and athletes at sporting events. This can contribute to the promotion of nationalism.

Question 11

One means by which sport serves as an "opiate" is that it keeps people's attention and energy focused on sport rather than on social injustices that may exist.

Accepted Answer

This statement suggests that sport can distract people from larger social issues, much like an opiate may distract someone from physical pain.

Question 12

One of the proposals that the textbook authors suggest for changing the Olympic Games is to establish two permanent sites for them.

Accepted Answer

The textbook authors suggest establishing two permanent sites for the Olympic Games as one of their proposals for change.

Question 13

Congress has passed legislation that subsidizes big-time college sports programs through a variety of tax breaks.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. Congress has passed legislation that provides tax breaks and subsidies for big-time college sports programs, such as allowing donors to deduct contributions made to athletic departments from their taxes.

Question 14

The use of sport as a political propaganda tool has historically been carried out by

Accepted Answer

All of the above options have used sport as a political propaganda tool historically. Communist countries have utilized sports to showcase their societal and ideological superiority. The United States and Western European countries have also used sports to promote their values, culture, and political ideologies on the global stage.

Question 15

The most striking example of success in international sport and the use of sport for the accomplishment of political goals before the breakup of the communist countries was

Accepted Answer

East Germany was the most striking example of success in international sport and the use of sport for the accomplishment of political goals before the breakup of the communist countries. The East German government invested heavily in sports programs and used the success of their athletes as a way to promote the superiority of their political system. However, many of their athletes were later found to have been part of a state-sponsored doping program, which has tainted their accomplishments.

Question 16

Politicians may use sports in which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

All options given are valid ways politicians may use sports. They could highlight their own athletic achievements to impress voters (A), seek endorsements or campaign support from popular athletes (B), or promote the idea that athletes are representative of traditional values or support the existing power structure (C).

Question 17

The persisting conflict between two Mideast countries was tragically highlighted during the Olympic Games when Palestinian terrorists killed eleven Israeli athletes.

Accepted Answer

The tragic event described in the question is the Munich Massacre, which took place during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. Palestinian terrorists associated with the group Black September took eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage, eventually killing all of them.

Question 18

The linkage of sport and politics is illustrated by

Accepted Answer

All of the given choices illustrate the linkage of sport and politics. Legislation giving special treatment to professional sports is a clear example of how politics affect the sports industry. Tax laws can also give certain advantages to team owners, showing how politics can impact the financial aspects of sports. Tours sponsored by the US State Department show how sports can be used as a tool for diplomacy and international relations, hence demonstrating the intertwined nature of sport and politics.

Question 19

The very ways that the Olympic Games are organized are political. For example,

Accepted Answer

All three statements are true and demonstrate the political nature of the Olympic Games. Nations select which athletes will perform based on their citizenship, the IOC provides ceremonies that stress national identity, and the selection of the Olympic site often involves political considerations such as the economic and political stability of the host country.

Question 20

The textbook authors propose several changes in the Olympic Games. Which of the following is not one of their proposals?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The textbook authors propose several changes in...

Quiz 13: Sport and Politics Main Themes

Success in international competition frequently serves as a mechanism by which a country's ruling elite unites its citizens and attempts to impress the citizens of other countries.