Perceived Effects of Olympic Success on International Policies and Prestige: A Case Study of Sports Actors from Iran

For some nations where these events cannot be facilitated, Olympic success would be more significant. Governments often believe that winning medals enhances their image globally, which is their reason to invest and intervene in elite sports. Based on this belief, the researchers tried to determine how sports actors perceive the relationship between elite sporting success and prestige and its reflection on their related policies. To achieve this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Iranian sports officials and sport managers in charge of elite sports. The results identified four themes in interviewees' speeches related to the objective of the study, including (1) sporting success at the Olympic Games and international prestige, (2) fairness and international prestige, (3) sport and diplomatic relations, (4) media coverage and international prestige. Taken together, these results suggest that the concept of international prestige is notably essential when it comes to the country where the international image might not be positive toward that particular country. Sports as a soft power tool can play this role and build a positive image for that country in different ways. The findings contribute to elite sporting success, sports and country image research, sports international prestige, and sports diplomacy in Iran. Keywords: Olympic success