The Olympic protests over Russian anti-gay laws can soon be replaced by protests over Russian handling of the situation in Syria. The Syria-question has the potential to become the biggest political issue in the run-up to the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 Syria in the UN Security Council

Calls for boycott of a mega-event because of the host country's national politics are never far away, and the image battle rages in the media. In this article from The Conversation, David Rowe examines the relationship between sport and politics.

Currently, the IOC faces great international pressure because of Russia's new, strict anti-gay laws. Andreas Selliaas comments on the situation and on whether the IOC ought to take a greater political responsibility.

More and more sports wish to be included in the Olympic Games – an event that has already grown too big. IOC faces the dilemma of accepting more sports making the Olympics even more gigantesque or facing the risk of rival competitions. A way out of the dilemma could be the creation of the Olympic Spring Games, argues Jean-Loup Chappelet one year after the London 2012 Games.

Six men want to climb the Olympic throne in September. In his second analysis of the IOC presidential election, German investigative reporter Jens Weinreich takes a look at two countries who may be the real power holders in international sport.

After many years in the shadow of taboos, sports corruption is now debated freely and at the highest level of sports policy making. All the right words are in place at three huge global meetings this week, but convincing action is still far away.

In this comment piece, professor David Rowe takes a look at the changes to sport, celebrity and masculinity that have occurred over the last decades through a characterization of two key figures in football.

Comment: Lasana Liburd who over the years has had his clashes with former bigwig in international football, Jack Warner, writes a personal account on the Trinidad-Tobago country fellow. Warner was forced to quit politics in the wake of a highly critical report on his presidential management of CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.