My guest is German journalist, author, and speaker Ronny Blaschke, whose latest book Football and Racism explores the relationship between football and colonialism. We look at football’s role in the European colonial past, including the British, French, and German empires. What is their legacy today?
In this episode, we cover:
- How colonialism shapes modern football, with the sport historically used by imperial powers to control and ‘civilise’ colonised populations.
- The continued lack of representation for Black and ethnic minority people in football leadership, despite their visibility on the pitch.
- Ronny visited Kolkata, India, where football becomes a symbol of anti-colonial resistance, with Mohun Bagan’s 1911 Indian FA Shield win still celebrated as a national milestone.
- Similar patterns in Egypt and Turkey, where football plays a key role in post-colonial identity and opposition to foreign influence.
- In the UK, knowledge of colonial history varies widely, with urban areas engaging more deeply while broader public understanding remains patchy.
- How France wrestles with its colonial legacy, particularly in football, where players of North African heritage face discrimination despite their success.
- How Western European countries continue to benefit from colonial-era dynamics in football, often without fully acknowledging their histories.
- How South American clubs, such as in Chile and Uruguay, appropriate indigenous identities while marginalising the peoples they symbolise.
- How in Australia, racialised beliefs about physical ability affect the recruitment of Indigenous athletes, reinforcing subtle forms of racism.
- How football remains inherently political, with claims of multiculturalism often masking deeper, systemic inequalities rooted in colonialism.
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