Mega - Event Sports Diplomacy: A Strategic Communications Perspective
Mega - Event Sports Diplomacy: A Strategic Communications Perspective

Author(s): Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova
Subject(s): Government/Political systems, Comparative politics, Sports Studies
Published by: NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence
Keywords: Sports diplomacy; Japan; Australia; Russia; China; Mega sport events; 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia; Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics; Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics;
Summary/Abstract: International sports competitions have perhaps the second most widespread and normalised use of national flags and symbols after the military. Undoubtedly, sport—both in terms of athlete accomplishments and sporting events organisation—are a source of reputation for a country. Nations use sport to tell stories of their role in fostering achievers, winners, overcomers, and even triumphant underdogs. International sporting events are drama-laden displays of national unity and purpose. Sport is increasingly featured in national strategic documents pertaining to public diplomacy. Different in size, form, and vision, the documents nonetheless demonstrate that there is a certain strategic communications approach to sport, which might point to high soft power value. Using both the strategies and the communication surrounding mega sports events, this report aims to analyse and compare the national strategic communications messaging—what stories nations tell, and how they position themselves externally.

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