On Tuesday the 13th of August, the Australian Institute of International Affairs NSW welcomed Dr Jorge Knijnik, Associate Professor in the School of Education at Western Sydney University, to Glover Cottages for a discussion of the complex role of football in South America, where the sport serves as both a unifying force and a political instrument in a landscape of deep-seated social and political tensions. The event was framed by the Olympic Games in Paris, a timely backdrop that underscored the global significance of sport.

The discussion began with the poignant story of Mercedes Sosa, an Argentine folklore singer-songwriter whose music became a powerful symbol of protest during Argentina’s military dictatorship. In 1978, Sosa was arrested during a concert for performing songs with lyrics considered subversive by the junta’s Secretary of Public Information, the government’s cultural censorship arm. Her music, which championed human rights in the face of severe repression, made her a reluctant heroine in a dangerous time. Sosa was forced into exile in 1979, relocating to Spain to avoid becoming one of the “disappeared”. Her story served as a prelude to a broader examination of Operation Condor, a multinational agreement among the dictatorships of Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil to use covert violence to extinguish opposition.

Dr Knijnik’s presentation explored how football in South America, often referred to as jogo bonito (the beautiful game), is deeply intertwined with the region’s volatile political landscape, often marked by oppression and inequality. Football, initially introduced by colonisers, has been appropriated and transformed by various South American cultures, becoming both a unifying and divisive force in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia. Dr Knijnik encouraged the audience to consider whether football in South America remains a revolutionary tool or has been co-opted by neoliberal forces.

One of the most compelling aspects of Dr Knijnik’s address was his analysis of how football has been used both for social change and for political manipulation. He recounted the story of Reinaldo, a Brazilian footballer persecuted for his political stance against the dictatorship after raising his fist in celebration during a match. This act of defiance led to his being benched, with threats traced back to Operation Condor, highlighting how sporting success was manipulated to promote authoritarian regimes and silence dissent, much like the censorship that Mercedes Sosa had experienced.

Dr Knijnik concluded his presentation with a discussion about the Brazilian national team jersey and its symbolic significance. Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former authoritarian president, co-opted the jersey as a signal of political allegiance, effectively subverting a national symbol for his own political ends. In response, the jersey was reclaimed and repurposed in a wide variety of contexts, such as the São Paulo Mardi Gras, where it now represents gender diversity, inclusion and love. This struggle over the jersey underscores the broader battle over national identity in Brazil.

AIIA NSW president Ian Lincoln congratulated Dr Knijnik on the publication of his latest book Tales of South American Football: Passion, Revolution and Glory (Sydney, Fair Play Publishing 2024) and thanked him for giving the Institute the opportunity to host its launch.

During the Q&A session, the audience raised issues that expanded on the themes of the presentation. One question focused on the impact of iconic sporting moments, such as Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal against England after the Falklands War and the 1950 match between Uruguay and Brazil. Dr Knijnik elaborated on how these events are embedded in national consciousness, reinforcing collective identity and national pride.

Asked whether it was appropriate to mix sport and politics, Dr Knijnik responded that this was desirable when dictatorships needed to be opposed. He compared this with the truth, memory and justice principles that had helped remedy apartheid in South Africa. In the South American case, popular footballers had drawn attention to perpetrators of human rights abuses, helping to bring them to justice and enhance South America’s international standing.

Another question addressed the past role of football in South America in valorising traditional masculinity, to which Dr Knijnik responded by discussing the growing feminist movement within football, advancing gender equality and advocating for a more inclusive sport.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks to Dr Knijnik, acknowledging his elucidation of the complexity and paradoxes of football in South America. The discussion had left the audience with an understanding of how football is woven into the social, political, and cultural fabric of the continent.

Report by Matt McKelvie, AIIA NSW intern

Dr Knijnik (seated) with AIIA NSW intern Matt McKelvie (left) and president Ian Lincoln