Sport and the ‘question’ of Islam in Europe

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to examine how the debate about Islam in Europe is affecting the discourse on sport and Islam and Muslim communities. Recent sources of tensions occurred around the question of Islam including the ban of the burqa in the public space; the debate on national identity and loyalty to nation of birth versus nation (and culture) of origin; opposition against the provision of halal meat and the debate around radicalisation of young Muslims, to name just a few. This chapter argues that sport is becoming a highly politicised space in which to judge the level of ‘integration’ of Muslim communities in European societies.