ABSTRACT
This chapter argues, using divided Germany and Korea as examples, that sports are often an extension of political divisions and tensions. Sporting encounters between the two Germanys, primarily in Olympic competition but also occasionally in pan-European soccer club tournaments, were also often politically charged affairs, as was East Germany’s famous 1–0 upset of West Germany in the 1974 World Cup, hosted by West Germany. North (DPRK) and South Korea (ROK) have met numerous times in various sports, and the encounters have often been marred by political issues. In Korea, tensions surrounding sports closely paralleled contemporary diplomatic relations between the DPRK and ROK; in times of reduced tensions, matches passed largely without incident, but in periods of heightened animosity, political differences often manifested on the field. By examining sports competition in divided Germany and divided Korea, this chapter will examine the ways in which states use sports as a political tool for promoting their preferred narratives.
