Suudi Arabistan'ın Spor Diplomasisi: Bir Ülkenin Uluslararası İmaj Dönüşümünün Kavramsal Arka Planı
Saudi Arabia's Sports Diplomacy: Conceptual Background of the Transformation of A Country’s International Image

Summary/Abstract: This article contributes to the rapidly expanding academic literature on sports and politics over the past two decades by examining the case of Saudi Arabia. It discusses the policy of King Selman of Saudi Arabia, which aims to rebuild the country's international image through sports diplomacy, and the strategic gains targeted by this approach. The central argument of the article is that, in a conflict-prone region and with an economy still heavily reliant on oil revenues, sports diplomacy helps Saudi Arabia reshape its image in the West. This, in turn, enables the country to align global actors with its economic and security interests while promoting its own alignment with those actors’ agendas. As Saudi Arabia seeks to establish strategic partnerships with the West, it uses sports diplomacy to mitigate normative mismatches with the centers of global power while simultaneously becoming a power actor itself by providing significant economic benefits to Western stakeholders through its investments. Domestically, the government leverages the hosting of major sports events to offer citizens broader entertainment options as a means of consumer engagement, while also boosting its popularity among the population. By fostering pride in Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a global power player, the leadership strengthens its public support.

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