“The best way to spend your free time.” Sports cooperation agreements of the Mexican Youth Institute, 1977-1978: A criticism of sportswashing.

Authors

  • Omar Chanocua Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62120/mch.8.66

Keywords:

diplomacy, Cold war, sports history

Abstract

The objective of this article is to explain the visit that Silvia Hernández, General Director of the National Council of Resources for Youth Care (CREA) made in December 1977 with the authorities of the counterpart organizations of Spain, the German Democratic Republic, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Hungary, Belgium and France, accompanied by her husband Jesús Galindo Zárate, General Director of Programming and Budget of the Mexican Sports Confederation. It is striking that, during the Cold War, Mexico was interested in establishing relations through sports diplomacy. The above serves as a case study to raise a critique of the limitations of the sports washing concept.

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Published

30-07-2025

How to Cite

Chanocua, O. (2025). “The best way to spend your free time.” Sports cooperation agreements of the Mexican Youth Institute, 1977-1978: A criticism of sportswashing . Macrohistoria, (8), 69–88. https://doi.org/10.62120/mch.8.66

Issue

Section

Articles