Sectarianism in Lebanon: Sport Clubs as a Case Study

Abstract

This thesis proposes that one of the main reasons why sports clubs in Lebanon cannot reach their full potential in sports is because the owners and sponsors of sports clubs, and sports organisations, have sectarian and political agendas along confessional lines. In turn, this leads to the failure of Lebanese sports clubs on a local and international scale. Sports reflect the political situation in Lebanon, as political leaders use the sports sector as a tool to deepen sectarian divisions within the country and ensure their positions of power within Lebanese society. The first part of the thesis explains some key points about the political situation in Lebanon and provides information about its ethnic and religious groups. The second part of the thesis explores the connections between political parties and sports clubs and how they affect sectarian issues in Lebanon.