THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL INTEREST ON SPORTS INTERVENTIONS IN NIGER STATE: CONCISE REVIEW

Abstract

This paper aims to articulate rationales for state intervention in sport as a way of providing a background for analysing the relationship between sport and state politics. Extensive literature on political interest and sports intervention were made, and has been conceptualized as the driver forces that motivate actions by political actors. Political interests have also been categorized into four, personal, public, national, and International interests. It further highlighted that the level of sports intervention is influenced by the nature and extent of people’s interest. Sports is used as a tool for achieving both positive and negative political interest. This means that sports as a diplomacy can be used as a tool to heighten confrontation when relations between the two are poor; the connection between political interests’ economy, sports intervention and its effect on national development was also deliberated. Political intervention in sports is therefore, aimed at enhancing quality sports performance bearing in mind that winning and losing tournaments scenario helps leaders accept their faith as the case may be during election processes. The study concluded that Nigerian politicians should invest more in sports so as to turn our green pasture into golden opportunity for people