London’s Olympics show that the links between sports, citizenship, politics, and national identity are as tangible as ever

As London’s Olympics commence, Jelena Dzankic argues that sports are closely related to national identity and can have a deep symbolic meaning for states such as those in the former Yugoslavia where they are central to the development of emerging national identities. She also argues that there can also be a strong link between sports and citizenship, with many countries facilitating naturalisation for talented sportspeople.