Featuring
Amira Rose Davis
Assistant Professor,
University of Texas- Austin
Julie Duhaut-Bedos
Career French Diplomat
Public Affairs Consultant
Narayanappa Janardhan
Research Director,
Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy
Russell Jones
General Manager,
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
León Krauze
Editor and Columnist,
Letras Libres and Washington Post
Ubiratan Leal
MLB Analyst,
ESPN Brazil
Des Linden
Boston Marathon Winner and
Best-Selling Author
Ana Paola López Yrigoyen
Advocate for Athletes' Rights
and Former Pro Soccer Player
Ed Malyon
Founder of The Athletic UK
and Sports Investor
Andrei Markovits
Professor Emeritus,
University of Michigan
Afshin Molavi
Emerging Markets Scholar,
Johns Hopkins SAIS
Sarah Spain
Sports Journalist,
espnW and Good Game podcast
As an ice breaker, we asked our Inaugural GGL Fellows some questions you might want to try out on friends at dinner:
Favorite sports memory?
Amira Rose Davis: Oh this question is so difficult for me! Recently it is a tie between watching Serena’s last matches at the U.S. Open and watching my little cousin win a national championship with LSU in 2023, which was especially meaningful knowing her journey to get to that point and because it was a watershed moment for women’s college basketball and the vibes in the sold out American Airlines Arena were wild.
Julie Duhaut-Bedos: The 1998 soccer World Cup final, which France won against Brazil, the first World Cup victory for "les Bleus." I watched it with my family in a restaurant in Rome, where we were the only France supporters. Unforgettable. This victory, by a team reflecting the diversity of French society, was an unprecedented moment of collective joy, national pride, unity and, in many ways, a turning point in the history of France.
Narayanappa Janardhan: Irony of cycling (as part of a triathlon) on a F1 track in Abu Dhabi!
Russell Jones: As a spectator watching Europe win the Ryder Cup in Paris (with friends). A truly amazing experience. Wolves v Man U in the quarter final of the FA under the lights is a very close second.
León Krauze: Watching Fernando Valenzuela pitch in 1981. Being close to Julio César Chávez while he fought Greg Haugen. Attending the 1986 World Cup at Azteca Stadium. Seeing Mexico beat Ireland in the heat of Orlando in 1994. Witnessing Mexico’s victory over Germany in 2018. And watching Cruz Azul, my team, win its eighth championship in 1997. There are just so many!
Ubiratan Leal: Staying up until 3 am to see Ayrton Senna conquer his first Formula 1 championship in 1988. I was just 10 years old, and having permission to stay up was a huge win in and of itself. Then a second one was watching Corinthians will Brazil’s futebol title.
Des Linden: Watching Deena Kastor race to the Olympic bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Marathon.
Ana Paola López Yrigoyen: Hearing the coach shout out “Paola, warm up,” when I was sitting on the bench during Mexico’s opening game, against Germany, at a U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.
Ed Malyon: I've been pretty lucky even though all the teams I support are terrible. Happiest moments were being at Lord's as England won the Cricket World Cup, or at Wembley when Palace went 1-0 up in the FA Cup final (only to lose) or when England won the Euro 2020 semi-final.
Andrei Markovits: At Camp Nou in Barcelona in 1999, as my beloved Man United beat Bayern Munich to win the Champions League with two goals in the last five minutes of the match after being one goal down and all but dead!
Afshin Molavi: That time our high school coach called “Slot Right, Out Pass-Up X” at a clutch moment when we were down a touchdown against our rival. I was the slot receiver, the target of the short pump fake that then freed me up to go long and catch the tying touchdown. Pretty epic, even if we did go on to lose the game.
Sarah Spain: The entirety of the Michael Jordan Bulls era.
Your global sports Mount Rushmore?
Amira: Lewis Hamilton, Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Messi.
Julie: Zinedine Zidane, Magic Johnson, and sprinters Marie-José Perec and Carl Lewis.
Janardhan: Chris Evert, Diego Maradona, Rahul Dravid, and Roger Federer.
Russell: Steve Bull (easily no.1!), Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Ron Flowers.
León: Fernando Valenzuela, Guillermo Mendizábal, Rafael Márquez, and Xavi Hernández.
Ubiratan: Pelé, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson.
Des: Michelle Akers, Jacqueline Hansen, Lewis Hamilton, Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé).
Ana Paola: Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Patri Guijarro, Thomas Muller.
Ed: David Beckham, Darren Gough (the cricketer for those of you who don’t observe), Lionel Messi, and Patrick Mahomes.
Andrei: Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods.
Afshin: Michael Jordan (the greatest basketball player of all time. I know, I know, LeBron is awesome too, but MJ still has the edge in my book), Roger Federer, Stephen Curry (his semi-final and Gold medal Olympics performances were legendary), Pelé.
Sarah: Billie Jean King, Pelé, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams.
World leader you’d put in goal?
Amira: I can’t think of a world leader that I trust to save things *awkward emoji face.*
Julie: Kofi Annan.
Janardhan: Donald Trump!
Russell: Has to be Donald Trump (he’s allegedly already played in goal for Wolves). https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/donald-trump-wolves-goalkeeper-president-34056213
León: Emmanuel Macron, for his intelligence and resilience.
Ubiratan: I wouldn’t trust any of them. In Brazil we have an app like Uber to rent a goalie for your games (seriously) and I’d rather use that.
Des: Albert II, Prince of Monaco.
Ana Paola: A young Angela Merkel.
Ed: According to the North Korean record books he's never conceded a goal, so I'd have to say Kim Jong-un.
Andrei: Barack Obama.
Afshin: Nelson Mandela (RIP) because he has courage, patience and a remarkable ability to not let the past consume him (vital traits for a goalkeeper).
Sarah: Kim Jong-il - never lost a game, match or point in his life in any sport, right?
Athlete you’d want as world leader?
Amira: Sebastian Vettel.
Julie: Tony Estanguet (CEO of the 2024 Paris Games, three-time Olympic champion in canoe single).
Janardhan: Lionel Messi (superstar and sober).
Russell: Conor Coady.
León: Sergio Busquets. Anyone who can manage a midfield that well must have the skills to be a good politician.
Ubiratan: Socrates, the Brazilian player, not the Greek philosopher. (Though wait, maybe he can play goalie?)
Des: Philip Rivers.
Ana Paola: Patri Guijarro.
Ed: None of them. They have better things to do.
Andrei: David Beckham.
Afshin: Maybe Roger Federer because he stays cool even though he is relentless in achieving his goals.
Sarah: Megan Rapinoe.
Best rivalry?
Amira: Red River Rivalry, Texas vs. Oklahoma (I am not even being biased! It is being played for the 120th time this year, and since 1932 it is held on a neutral site (Cotton Bowl in Dallas) but also #HookEm).
Julie: France vs England in rugby. This is such a big one it even has a name: "the crunch!"
Janardhan: Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer.
Russell: Ryder Cup’s USA v Europe.
León: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. At one time, I would have said Cruz Azul vs. América, but you have to respect the quality of El Clásico. There’s nothing quite like watching Barcelona take on the white colossus at the Bernabéu.
Ubiratan: River Plate vs. Boca Juniors in Argentine soccer. Pure madness.
Des: Adidas vs Puma.
Ana Paola: Tigres vs Rayadas.
Ed: England and Australia as a rivalry that spans multiple sports is pretty hard to beat. For passion and intensity, Boca Juniors vs. River Plate.
Andrei: Manchester United - Liverpool.
Afshin: The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics of the 1980s.
Sarah: Russia vs. WADA.
A sign that the world of sport is shrinking?
Amira: The way in which a Netflix docuseries drove the growth of one my favorite sports, Formula One.
Julie: Léon Marchand, an ASU swimmer as an international student, becomes France's national hero during the 2024 Paris Games!
Janardhan: On the contrary, the world of sport is expanding, especially in the Global South.
Russell: Can’t remember the last time I saw kids playing football in the street.
León: The global success of the Premier League. When I was a kid, watching the English league was a dream. Now, a child in Sri Lanka can be an Arsenal fan with ease.
Ubiratan: The fact that a Japanese-Brazilian journalist who covers baseball is now being asked these strange questions as a fellow affiliated with a university in Arizona (with whom I connected because of the NFL deciding to play a regular season game in Sao Paulo). Go figure.
Des: Being in Mexico City for a work event and randomly getting to catch a Major League Baseball game.
Ana Paola: The fact that I could play against first division teams of different countries (Mexico and Switzerland) registered under different federations of different confederations (CONCACAF and UEFA), after technically retiring from pro women's football.
Ed: The fact I can watch Belgian football on ESPN in the US. Unimaginable even five years ago.
Andrei: The fact that students from Michigan's Upper Peninsula who have never been to Canada, let alone Europe, are Sporting Lisbon fans!
Afshin: The globalization of football/soccer, and all of the kids in the U.S that wear Premier League T-shirts with global brands like Emirates emblazoned on them.
Sarah: Growing numbers of Americans in foreign soccer leagues & foreigners in American soccer leagues.
Where would the GGL find the quintessence of global sport?
Amira: Youth sports, which is why we need to ensure they remain (or, in many instances) become inclusive and accessible to all.
Julie: The cycling race through Rue Lepic during the Paris Games 2024 evoked the spirit of Monet’s famous painting of the street, blending art with athleticism. As riders tackled the historic incline, the race highlighted France’s deep love for cycling, drawing a passionate crowd in Paris and millions of viewers worldwide.
Janardhan: United States and China (top two performing countries in Olympics).
Russell: On the beaches of Mumbai, playing cricket.
León: On small neighborhood courts—those places where kids, against all odds, still gather to kick a ball around. It’s in the joy of childhood play where the true heart of sport still resides.
Ubiratan: At a FIFA World Cup or Olympics, but at the fan fest moreso than on the field of play.
Des: Olympic Marathon finish line.
Ana Paola: I mean, that Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics…
Ed: All around us. Most likely at the local park where a kid is throwing a ball around. That is where it all begins and ends.
Andrei: New York City and Los Angeles because both have MAJOR LEAGUE sports in Association Football (soccer), American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Ice Hockey and individual sports like tennis and track and field! And both are media centers like none other in the world.
Afshin: In any quiet gym where young men and women are actively training, hoping they can become the next global icon.
Sarah: Special Olympics.
Question you'd most want to ask other fellows?
Amira: How has your study of sport changed or influenced the way you consume sports as a fan?
Julie: In what concrete ways can we foster Sport as a force for Good?
Janardhan: How can sports better help eradicate poverty and achieve peace?
Russell: How can we use the power of sport to make the world a better place?
León: How can we rescue the soul of the game and move away from the ambition and greed that seem to threaten what truly matters?
Ubiratan: How much do you think about sport and society outside of North America and Europe?
Des: How did you get involved in sports, and what role do they play in your life today?
Ana Paola: If your life depended on making your biggest dream come true, with which athlete would you partner up to make it happen?
Ed: What can we do to ensure teams are protected more as community institutions?
Andrei: What makes sports totally unique in your life? Why do you love them more than anything, perhaps even family and friends?
Afshin: If you have already passed the age of 50, is it too late to go pro? (asking for a friend)
Sarah: How will AI change sport (for good or bad) in coming years?