The position of diplomacy in Iranian sports

Sports diplomacy is a pervasive phenomenon that at the diplomatic level is one of the most important components of communication between countries and nations, and therefore it is important to know what is the position of Iran, as a powerful country in the field of diplomacy in this area. The purpose of this study was to investigate the position of diplomacy in Iranian sports. The research method was descriptive-analytical and applied in terms of purpose. The statistical population of the study was all political-sports managers and experts in the field of sports diplomacy who were selected by purposive and accessible sampling. The data collection method included library studies, semi-structured interviews with experts and finally the Delphi method in three stages. In order to identify the strategic position, the Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix (IFE) and the External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE) were used. The results showed that the position of Iranian sports diplomacy is in the position of WO (conservative strategy). In this regard, it is concluded that high-level officials and policymakers in the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant institutions should focus their plans on addressing weaknesses and taking advantage of existing opportunities.