In July 1966, a military coup happened in Argentina, the third in 11 years. A week later, FIFA awarded the hosting rights of the 1978 World Cup to the country.
By 1976, after a short-lived interlude of democracy, another military coup plunged the country into the darkest and bloodiest chapter in modern Argentinian history: Argentina’s “dirty war” in which tens of thousands of people endured torture, murder, and disappearances in the junta’s ruthless campaign against Marxist guerrillas and dissidents generally. Facing criticism, the regime of General Jorge Rafael Videla made the organization of the World Cup a top priority as a convenient public relations smokescreen.
In response to a global boycott campaign and media criticism, the junta invested in advertising and public relations campaigns, involving films, tourism promotion posters, and promotional tours with celebrities such as Argentinian Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio. FIFA President João Havelange, a Brazilian close to his country’s military regime, ignored protests.
In June 1978 at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium, Videla opened the tournament with a speech about peace and friendship. Predictably, blatant controversies, such as domestic political issues, and allegations of interference and match-fixing marred the tournament in which Argentina triumphed. In a bizarre but telling twist, political prisoners who survived the junta’s dungeons claimed that their torturers encouraged them to cheer for Argentina during matches.
Argentina’s victory gave the relatively new military junta the lifeline it needed, setting back efforts to isolate the regime over its abuses.
Seven years after the contentious World Cup, Videla was found guilty of murder and handed a life sentence.
The exploitation of sports by fascists, dictators, and military leaders to whitewash their reputations and legitimize their authority spans a seemingly infinite spectrum of examples. This practice, persisting into contemporary times, showcases modern autocrats drawing valuable lessons from their predecessors’ mistakes and mastering the strategic deployment of sports as an influential tool for soft power.
The lessons of history underscore that the playing field is not only for athletic prowess but a battleground where autocrats vie for international influence and legitimacy.