Sports Diplomacy
Lexington Research in Sports, Politics, and International Relations
Series Editors: Christos Kassimeris, chairman of the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the European University Cyprus; and Peter Kennedy, honorary senior research fellow at Glasgow University
This series publishes cutting-edge research in the development and political significance of sport around the world. Sport and international relations share a complex relationship. Sport offers a heady mix of ideological and political soft power, nation building, imperial power, developmental goals, and global prestige for newly ascending nations. At the same time sport is an active agent on the world stage. Presenting interdisciplinary work from established and social scientists, this series endeavors to make a critical contribution to academia and the wider field of sport and political science. The series will seek to explore, develop, and apply different perspectives and theoretical and methodological innovations in the field of international relations applied to sport. Key themes that the series covers include globalization and sport; sport policy and politics; sport and gender; politics and mega-events; sport and media; race, ethnicity, and sport; inclusion and exclusion in sport; sport governance; sport and development; the consumption of sport; conflict resolution and sport; sport and foreign policy; and sport and identity.
Recent Titles
International Sporting Events and Human Rights: Does the Host Play Fair?, by Zack Bowersox
Sports Diplomacy: Sports in the Diplomatic Activities of States and Non-State Actors, by Michał Marcin Kobierecki
Sports Diplomacy
Sports in the Diplomatic Activities
of States and Non-State Actors
By Michał Marcin Kobierecki
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020934808
ISBN 978-1-7936-0220-6 (cloth: alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-7936-0221-3 (electronic)
Contents
2 Sports Diplomacy as an Activity for Shaping Positive Relations between States
3 Sports Diplomacy as a Tool for Shaping the Desirable Image of States
4 The Diplomacy of Organizations Governing International Sport
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
About the Author
FIGURE
| Figure 4.1 | Model of Diplomacy of International Sports Organizations |
TABLES
| Table 2.1 | Comparison of Cases of Sports Diplomacy as a Means of Bringing Estranged or Hostile States Closer Together |
| Table 2.2 | Comparison of Cases of Sports Diplomacy as a Means of Bringing Estranged or Hostile States Closer Together—Divided by States Engaged |
| Table 2.3 | The Top-Down or Bottom-Up Character of Sports Diplomacy as a Means of Bringing Estranged or Hostile States Closer Together |
| Table 3.1 | Image-Building Sports Diplomacy in Reference to Variables |
| Table 3.2 | Size and Wealth of a State and Image-Building Sports Diplomacy Methods |
| Table 3.3 | The Bottom-Up/Top-Down Character of Image-Building Sports Diplomacy |
| Table 4.1 | State Representatives within Olympic Games Candidate Cities Delegations during the IOC Sessions |
| Table 4.2 | State Representatives within Olympic Games Candidate Cities Delegations during the IOC Sessions Considering the Rank of the Highest Representative |
Sport and politics are in principle distinct. Still, both phenomena are to some extent interdependent. Correlation between politics and sport can take various forms. They may concern the influence of the world of politics on the world of sport. In this case, sport becomes a tool for pursuing political goals. On the other hand, a reversed relation is possible as well, and sports events may lead to political facts. In general, sport can be used to shape international relations, ease or exacerbate conflicts, strengthen relationships, improve the international image of a state and generate international prestige, etc. Sport may also play a role in internal politics since it can be attributed with the capability to integrate the society, stimulate national pride and identity, affect public health or it can be used as a tool of propaganda.1 The connection between sport and politics is, therefore, a vast area of research, explored by representatives of numerous fields of science such as sociology, sports science, history, or political science.
The relation between sport and politics can have a domestic and international context. In the second form, it is exemplified by the category of sports diplomacy. The term lacks a clear and universally accepted definition. It is often understood as a category of public diplomacy, or at least regarded as dovetailing with public diplomacy.2 Generally though it can be understood as a means of international communication with the use of sport. It may have a positive or negative character.