Gerard Akindes

Dr. Gerard Akindes is an academic, practitioner, and educator specialized in the political economy of global sport, with a focus on sports management, sports development, and media. He has over two decades of interdisciplinary research, higher education, and industry engagement, positioning him as a knowledgeable and experienced voice on the complexities of sport in international contexts.

His academic foundation is built on a Ph.D. in Media Arts and Studies from Ohio University (2010), where his dissertation, “Transnational Television and Football in Francophone Africa: Democratization or Electronic Colonization?” established his enduring research agenda. This work critically examines the intersection of sport broadcasting, economics, and neo-colonial dynamics, themes he has expanded throughout his career. His additional master’s degrees in Sports Administration and International Affairs from Ohio University further solidify his dual expertise in sport business and global systems.

Dr. Akindes’s professional trajectory seamlessly blends academic rigor with applied practice. He served as Senior Manager and Education Specialist at Qatar’s Josoor Institute, a FIFA World Cup 2022 legacy program, where he coordinated large-scale research projects, oversaw the publication of numerous case studies, and developed educational programs. This role followed his tenure as a faculty member in the
Department of Sports Administration at Ohio University, where he taught courses on sports economics, sports finance, sports for development, and international sports management. As an educator, Dr. Akindes has a significant global footprint, having designed and delivered graduate and undergraduate courses as an adjunct and visiting professor for institutions worldwide. These include Northwestern University in Qatar, New York University, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (Qatar), the University of Salford (UK), and Chengdu Sport University (China). His teaching portfolio encompasses sport marketing, broadcasting, globalization, brand management, and data analytics, reflecting the breadth of his expertise.

His scholarly contributions are both substantial and focused. His publications include the co-edited volume “Sports in Africa, Past and Present” (Ohio University Press, 2020) and the co-authored book “Identity and Nation in African Football: Fans, Community and Clubs” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014). He is currently completing a forthcoming co- authored manuscript, “Cool Under Pressure: Paul Bonga-Bonga’s Global African Football Life,” under contract with Ohio University Press (expected 2026). In addition to these monographs, he is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on themes including African athlete migration, football academies, sport governance, and the political economy of sports broadcasting. A committed advocate for the development of African sport scholarship, Dr. Akindes co-founded the SportsAfrica Network and its associated conference series in 2004 and co-founded the
interdisciplinary electronic journal Impumelelo.

Beyond academia, Dr. Akindes actively consults with international bodies, mentored National Paralympic Committees in Africa, currently serves as a FIBA Plus Expert for basketball federations, and advises sports organizations. His unique perspective is also informed by his lived experience as a former semi-professional basketball player and coach. He captained Benin’s national team and coached basketball in Belgium. Dr. Akindes’s work is ultimately dedicated to analyzing and shaping the structures of sport organizations to foster their equitable and sustainable development.