Speakers
Description
Objectives: The study's objective is to determine what aspects can affect the international prestige of the non-hosting countries through Olympic success.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 stakeholders from Iranian sports officials and sport managers. The sampling technique was convenience sampling. Interviews were conducted through Skype. Data were analyzed thematically with the thematic analysis (TA) method.
Findings: Four themes emerged in interviewees' speeches that are connected to the study's goals, which are about how elite sporting success can effect on international prestige of non-hosting Olympic countries like Iran : (1) sporting success at the Olympic Games, (2) fairness, (3) sport and diplomatic relations, and (4) media coverage.
Discussion: The study results are congruent with the existing research literature concerning the four emerged themes. The results indicated that countries like Iran can enhance their international image through Olympic success since Iran cannot currently host Olympic games.
Conclusion: Interviewees believed that the international diplomatic relations between Iran and other western countries are not as good as before; therefore, sports can play a vital role in the country's relations and its image. The results suggest that the concept of international prestige through sporting success is notably essential for a country where the foreign public may not have a positive attitude toward that country. As a soft power tool, sports can play this role and help to build a positive image for that country. However, there are some serious concerns, like the asylum seeker issue.
