Interview: Sven Daniel Wolfe on sporting mega-events and the hard edge of soft power

In this episode of the Play the Game Podcast, Stanis Elsborg speaks with Sven Daniel Wolfe about the politics of mega-events and what Wolfe calls "the hard edge of soft power."

Wolfe explains how his own fascination with sport developed into research on the infrastructures, investments, disruptions, and political interests that make global sporting events possible. His academic turning point came through the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, where he experienced both the emotional power of the event and its consequences for the city and its residents.

The conversation explores why governments find the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, and other mega-events so attractive. Wolfe argues that they remain some of the world’s biggest shared stages, giving political leaders a rare opportunity to communicate different messages to domestic and international audiences at the same time.

The episode also examines the relationship between mega-events and authoritarian politics, from historical examples such as the 1934 World Cup in Mussolini’s Italy, the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and the 1978 World Cup in Argentina to Russia’s recent mega-event decade. Wolfe discusses Sochi 2014 as a watershed moment in Russia’s political development and reflects on how sport, national identity, security, and soft power became intertwined.

But the discussion is not limited to authoritarian states. Wolfe argues that authoritarian practices can also emerge around mega-events in democratic settings, including displacement, surveillance, social cleansing, and extraordinary security measures.

The conversation then turns to what happens after the spotlight. Drawing on his current research, Wolfe explains how organising committees disappear, promises become difficult to track, and the short-term needs of the event can override the long-term needs of host cities.

Finally, the episode looks at the USA's current mega-event decade and Wolfe’s provocative comparison with Russia. He explains where he sees parallels, where the comparison has limits, and why major sporting events should be examined as political projects as well as sporting celebrations.

Guest: Sven Daniel Wolfe, assistant professor of social and cultural geography at the University of Neuchâtel

Host: Stanis Elsborg, head of Play the Game

This episode is produced by Play the Game.

Music: Voices by rexlambo & Cold Case by Riverside