Diplomatic Interactions

Diplomatic Interactions

A Comparative Study of the "National Sports" Branding Diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar Over the Last Two Decades: Emphasizing the Brady Method

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Yoosof Moslemi Mehni
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Policy, Faculty of Law, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman
10.22034/dpiq.2026.558609.1060
Abstract
Introduction
National sports branding refers to the use of a country's sporting capabilities to build and strengthen national identity and improve that country's international image. In today's world, sports branding is a key tool for global competition. This study aims to make a comparative comparison of national sports branding in Iran and one of the Persian Gulf countries, "Qatar, which has had achievements in this field. This research was conducted using a comparative method, and the data collection method was library-based, using existing scientific documents. The theoretical framework of this research is based on Simon Anholt's national branding. The research findings show that Qatar has performed more successfully than the Islamic Republic of Iran in the dimensions of governance, investment, tourism, and sports exports. In contrast, despite having outstanding cultural and historical capacities, Iran has not been able to effectively utilize these capacities in the direction of national sports branding due to the lack of coherent policymaking and weakness in sports governance.
Research Method
The research method of this study is based on a comparative approach. In this method, data are analyzed in four steps, including description, interpretation, juxtaposition, and comparison. The main framework of the research is based on the comparative study model presented by George Brady (1990). A comparative study is a widely used method in social sciences that systematically compares different countries or cultures. This method is highly flexible and can be implemented qualitatively or quantitatively. Its main goal is to gain a deeper understanding of phenomena through comparison and analysis of similarities and differences. The benefits of this approach include identifying causal relationships, improving analysis accuracy, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and advancing theoretical knowledge.
Conclusion
The country of Qatar has performed much more successfully than the Islamic Republic of Iran in the six dimensions of national sports branding, especially in the four main axes including governance, investment, sports tourism, and export of sports services and products.Research findings in the governance component show that Qatar has strengthened its global position in sports through integrated policymaking, large investments, and targeted sports diplomacy, while Iran has lagged behind in this area due to a lack of policy coherence, weakness in branding, and failure to utilize international capacities. Based on the data of the present study, in the dimension of investment and sports migration, Qatar has built an international position for itself with large investments and active sports diplomacy. In contrast, Iran has failed to attract foreign capital due to sanctions and the lack of integrated policymaking and has focused on domestic marketing. Based on data analysis, with regard to the sports tourism component, Qatar, by combining modern infrastructure and sports diplomacy, has turned tourism into a driving force for the economy and national branding. While Iran, despite its rich potential, has not been able to gain a significant share of the global sports tourism industry due to the lack of efficient infrastructure and coherent planning. And also, in comparing the two countries in the sports export component, Qatar, by implementing a strategic plan and making large investments, has turned "sports" into a tool for soft power and economic development. While Iran, despite having inherent capacities, has remained on the margins of the global sports economy due to a lack of strategic vision and structural obstacles and has failed to transform its potential into international capital and reputation. In the cultural and people component, Qatar, with a strategic vision, has turned sports into a weapon for acquiring soft power and economic transformation, while Iran, relying on its cultural treasure and human capacities, uses sports in the service of social cohesion and the reproduction of national identity. This strategic confrontation has created a fundamental difference in the sporting goals and achievements of the two countries. Meanwhile, although Iran has significant capacities in the two dimensions of people and culture and even enjoys relative superiority compared to Qatar, the lack of strategic planning, weakness in sports governance institutions, and lack of coherence between the responsible institutions have prevented the effective use of these capacities. Considering the results of the present study, which indicate that Qatar performs more successfully in the dimensions of governance, investment, tourism, and sports exports compared to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also considering Iran's leadership in cultural and popular dimensions, it is necessary to formulate a set of policy recommendations to provide an optimal path for promoting Iran's national sports brand.
Keywords
Comparative comparison
National branding
Sports branding
Islamic Republic of Iran
Qatar

Subjects

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