Sports help bring forth peace and harmony in a nation as well as among nations

but: the football war of 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras was set off by a football match (Wikipedia contributors (2007) )
but: the Olympic games have been boycotted by groups of nations 3 times, in 1976, 1980 and 1984 (Wikipedia contributors (2007) )
because: sports events, e.g. World Cup, serve to augment and intensify feelings of wider national consciousness and unity
- because: identification with other compatriots and the nation-state represented by the team one supports helps create and develop a sense of collective identity
but: the popularization of certain kinds of sports, like soccer, basketball signifies only the Western hegemony
- because: many popular sports are forms of cultural imperialism, as they are played out on Western terms
but: Football hooliganism is widespread (Wikipedia contributors (2007) )
because: sports, especially soccer, maintains a role in symbolizing the struggle to achieve the recognition and respect of others in the global community
- because: countries that have a weak sense of nationhood or economic power, look to sports (especially soccer) to strengthen their unity and even to create prosperity
  - because: success in sports helps project an image of the values and potential power as well as glory of their countries
    - because: e.g. Brazil (soccer), or Italy (the 2006's winner of the World Cup) whom soccer helps alleviate the factionalism and consolidate unity in their society
because: sports can be diversions from the harsh realities and complexities of life, creating chance for a nation to revive from its economic slumber
- because: example: there was economic recovery in Italy after they won the FIFA World Cup in 1982
because: sports serve as stimulant to harmony between individuals in a society (especially in countries where tensions have been apparent between ethnic groups)
- but: it's not always the case, supporters of different football clubs within country always lead to violent conflicts
- but: sports clubs always carry with them different ethnic or race identities, for example, the cantera policy of Athletic Bilbao accepts only Basques
- because: all citizens of the nation are as welcome as any other to participate in the sports events, e.g. World Cup, irrespective of their ethnic or other origins
- because: the nation's uniform, with the nation's colors and flag on it, becomes a ubiquitous symbol for the whole nation, symbolizing devotion and unity
because: sports competitions contain the possibility of destabilizing or altering the political status quo, which maybe unjust (especially under globalization)
- because: developing countries' national teams have equal chance in defeating those of developed countries, which are almost unthinkable in other realms of competitions
  - because: example: the reign of Eastern European countries, such as Russia, Romania in Olympic Gymnastics
  - because: example: USA defeated to Iran in 1998 World Cup, France defeated to Senegal in 2002 World Cup, USA defeated to Ghana in 2006 World
- because: teams representing nations from lower down the geo-political order are able to compete on a fair ground with more powerful nations
  - but: sports competitions in a global scale are still not fair
    - because: training and facilities, which are intergral to sports, depend largely on a nation's economic power
      - because: examples: the Olympic games as well as basketball competition are dominated by the USA
but: sports promote competition between nations
- but: sports competition between nation-states are carried out in safer arena inside which global rivalries can fight against each others and peaceably discharged

Wikipedia contributors, "Boycott olympics," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boycott_olympics&oldid=113033448 (accessed April 24, 2007). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boycott_olympics)

Wikipedia contributors, "Football (soccer) hooliganism," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Football_%28soccer%29_hooliganism&oldid=125210994 (accessed April 24, 2007). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_%28soccer%29_hooliganism)

Wikipedia contributors, "Football War," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Football_War&oldid=124948397 (accessed April 24, 2007). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_war)