How Vladimir Putin Uses Sports to Maintain Power

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 2 March 2022

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The entire world has watched in shock and horror this past week as the Russian Army invaded Ukraine. At the center of it stands one man, whose thinking and motivation everyone is seeking to better understand: Russian president Vladimir Putin. But as it turns out, there may be no better way into the mind of Putin than through his deep, deliberate impact on the world of sports. Investigative reporter TJ Quinn traveled to Russia in 2018 to report on Putin’s ties to the sports world, and how he has used major events like the World Cup and the Olympics to maintain his grip on power. Quinn explains what we can learn about Putin through the lens of sports, and why athletes and officials are finally fighting back against him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	ESPN Daily is presented by supercuts, the smarter, easier way to get a haircut.
0:06.7	It's not just any haircut, it's supercuts.
0:10.9	So, T.J. Quinn, where did you want to start this story?
0:15.3	You could start in a lot of places, but as good as any, I guess, is 2010 in Zurich, Switzerland.
0:21.9	That's where FIFA is headquartered.
0:25.8	T.J. Quinn is an investigative reporter for ESPN.
0:30.1	Everyone was waiting for the announcement of the world's biggest sporting event.
0:35.9	The location of what would be the 2018 and 22 World Cups, and Russia,
0:42.8	which has never been a great soccer power, all of a sudden is announced as the winner
0:48.5	of the 2018 bid.
0:50.7	The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be organized in Russia.
1:00.0	Vladimir Putin, he gave a speech that was notable for the fact that it was given in English.
1:07.0	He rarely speaks English. He is not really a competent English speaker.
1:11.6	Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
1:14.6	That 2018 World Cup in Russia will be up to the highest standards.
1:21.6	New modern stadiums and facilities will be built to perfection.
1:35.1	Together, let us make sure that football promotes fair play, tolerance, honor.
1:40.8	This was a clear sign that this was not a speech for the Russian people or even for the international football world.
1:45.0	This was for the larger geopolitical world.
1:51.0	And when you hear that now, what do you think?
1:55.9	The first thing you think of is the response from all these world leaders and these people who run FIFA
2:03.1	in the IOC about how this is the beauty of sport. It transcends politics. It brings Russia into
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