Sport and terrorism: Two of modern life's most prevalent themes

The purpose of this introduction is to establish the context for the ensuing collection examining the relationship between sport and terrorism within a range of international sporting settings. Drawing upon a host of recent examples this article serves to demonstrate the multifaceted nature of this relationship, how it emerges in remarkably similar fashions within otherwise quite diverse locations and how sport is increasingly being targeted by terrorists irrespective of whether their campaigns are considered to be 'local' or global in nature. It argues that terrorists exercise impact both through the direct targeting of sport and also, subsequently, the diffusion out from these real or intentional events to impact upon many aspects of political and civic life.