INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION (ISU) AS A SPORTS DIPLOMACY ACTOR

In the XXI century, when relations in the world are characterized by conflict, diplomacy plays a very important role in maintaining world order. In this regard, new types, forms, tools and resources continue to appear. Sports diplomacy has only recently begun to be actively used by different countries to achieve their goals. Previously, it was customary to consider sports diplomacy as part of the public diplomacy, but now it has surely evolved into its independent branch. Sports diplomacy is characterized by a wide range of state and non-state actors with international organizations to be the most important. This article analyses the role of the International Skating Union (ISU) as an actor of sports diplomacy. As a result, the author comes to the conclusion that the activities of the organization play an important role in establishing and improving cultural ties, as well as in resolving and preventing conflicts between its members.