An area that warrants further scholarly attention is the intricate interplay between sport and politics as examined through the lens of sport communication. Although numerous studies have addressed the relationship between politics and sport, there remains a noticeable gap in research that adopts a truly global and comparative perspective. Specifically, there is a critical need for a cohesive body of literature that systematically investigates how mediated sport communication reflects, reinforces, or challenges political narratives across diverse geopolitical contexts. This special issue of the International Journal of Sport Communication aims to advance the scholarly discourse at the intersection of sport, media, and politics by curating a collection of studies that explore underexamined regions and novel case studies. Notably, contributions focusing on countries such as Iran, Argentina, and Ukraine enrich the field by shedding light on contexts that have been largely overlooked in mainstream sport communication scholarship. In addition, familiar geopolitical dynamics—such as the rivalry between the United States and China—are revisited through fresh analytical angles, including the case of Eileen Gu and media coverage surrounding the Olympic Games. Furthermore, this issue incorporates analyses of sport-governing bodies such as the International Olympic Committee and the National Football League to explore the political implications of their organizational strategies, public communication, and global influence. By synthesizing these diverse perspectives, the issue contributes to a deeper understanding of how political discourse is negotiated, mediated, and contested within the global sport communication landscape.
Latififard et al. (Wed,) studied this question.