Blurring Ethnic Lines Through Sport: Central Asia's Sporting Rise, State Investment Rationale, And The Integrity Risks.
When:
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Venue:
Birkbeck Central
In this presentation, drawing on material from his recently published paper "Central Asia's kaleidoscope of identities: Sport as the perfect instrument for nation-building", author and researcher Khais Ramanie will tell the story of how sport has become central to Central Asian statecraft because it uniquely addresses the region's post-independence vulnerabilities: weak, arbitrarily drawn borders that fragment ethnic communities; secular authoritarian fears of conservative Islamic expression; and economies needing global visibility. These states, consider that sport offers a dual solution: projecting modernity abroad to attract foreign investment while forging a unifying national identity at home to transcend ethnic divisions and counter religious affiliation. Khais will illustrate this through the cases of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, providing relevant political and economic context where necessary.
He will also raise the question about the governance model of sport in this region. Since their independence, it can be argued that a clientelist system has emerged: a closed-circle political elite occupies sports governing bodies, and decision-making has become closed.
As Central Asia emerges as a new destination for international sporting events and a source of outbound sponsorship investment into Europe, the financial flows involved, and what they enable, should not be a point to neglect. International sport bodies and clubs should be aware of concerns about transparency and integrity, particularly the risk that illicit or opaque money may enter the sports sector from this region.
Background Reading
Speaker Biography
Khais Rahmanie is an advisor/researcher in sports, governance and geopolitics.
He began his career in sport as an intern in Real Madrid’s Legal Department before joining LaLiga, Spain’s professional football league, where he spent over five years managing the Central Asian region and working with broadcasters, sports institutions and private sector partners.
He later served as Senior Specialist in Professional Sport for the Government of Abu Dhabi DCD, working on the Emirate’s sports strategy and regulation and designing initiatives to promote active and healthy lifestyles.
He is the author of Sport & Geopolitics in the Middle East and writes academic articles on sport and geopolitics. He also contributes columns to international newspapers on sport and geopolitics in Central Asia.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Corporate Law from VU University Amsterdam, a Master’s in International Sports Law from Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid, and an Executive MBA in Global Sport Governance from MESGO. He is also a Certified Global Sanctions Specialist with the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS).
Contact name: Sean Hamil
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