SPORTS and politics should not mix. However, in some instances, they have influenced one another, either directly or indirectly.
We read and heard about the "Ping-Pong diplomacy" of the 1970s during the Cold War, which saw American and Chinese players squaring off – this arguably paved the way to a dialogue between the two countries that did not have diplomatic relations.
Join our Telegram channel to get our Evening Alerts and breaking news highlights