• diplomacy
• geopolitics
• globalization
• identity
• international relations
• Olympic Games
• soft power
• sport

This thesis, “The strategic use of sport in international relations as an expression of contemporary power,” explores the multidimensional reality of sport as a vehicle of influence through a three-part structure that moves from theory to practice, before addressing current challenges and future perspectives.
The first chapter lays the foundations by defining key concepts such as soft power, hard power, and the role of sport within this spectrum. It identifies the main actors in sports geopolitics — both public and private — and retraces the evolution of sport from an elitist pastime to a mass global phenomenon.
The second chapter examines how sport has become a strategic tool of influence. Case studies such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar show how states use sport to project power, shape narratives, and assert themselves internationally. It also highlights the ambivalent role of sports diplomacy in easing tensions or reinforcing divisions, and considers how athletes themselves can act as agents of political expression and change.
The third and final chapter looks to the present and future, focusing on tensions between global sport’s expansion and pressing environmental, social, and political challenges. Attention is given to its ecological footprint, uneven sustainability efforts, and persistent inequalities that limit its inclusiveness as a global soft power. The conclusion proposes directions for future research.