The Two Halves of Sports-Diplomacy

Sports-diplomacy is a familiar but relatively under-explored area of theory and practice in diplomatic studies. Existing scholarship is akin to sports-diplomacy's practice: anecdotal, sporadic articles that are case specific. This analysis posits that in the modern, plural diplomatic environment, sports-diplomacy does have potential, but that will not be realised until further discussion and scholarship is undertaken. Specifically, the “gap” in the diplomatic studies literature needs filling, as well as addressing and discussing the question: “do the benefits outweigh the dangers of ‘mixing’ sport and diplomacy?” The article's purpose is rudimentary. It aims to prompt discussion and debate between theorists and practitioners from both diplomacy and sport, conducive to a more durable relationship between sports and diplomacy than currently exists.