In a world where divisions among nations remain pervasive and the United Nations’ objectives for development and peace have not been met, international sport can serve as an agent to bring people together. A growing body of research has shown that recurrent international sport events can be powerful catalysts for social change by creating attractive communal spaces and opportunities for community cohesion and collective pride. Often, these spaces are situated in post-war cities characterized by significant social divisions and disharmony across ethnic enclaves, thus offering an opportunity to examine how these events can support broader community development goals.
This study explores the potential for international sport to promote social inclusion and cohesiveness in a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina that continues to suffer from serious war trauma, significant socioeconomic disparities, and entrenched ethnic hostility. Through an inductive, qualitative case study of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Mostar, this research focuses on how event elements create community impacts that promote inclusivity and cohesiveness in a divided city seeking progress and peace. Survey and interview data converged to show that residents perceive the event as a major force generating positive community impacts, including a sense of collective pride. Specifically, by connecting with local traditions and places of significance, showcasing the city’s assets, exhibiting positive urban transformation, and modeling care and respect for the community, event organizers have created an experiential environment that may lessen inter-group tensions and conflicts.
The findings suggest that the prevailing discourse on sport’s globalization should be reframed to consider the heterogeneity of its effects. In addition to path dependencies, cultural resonance and grassroots support are important for sustainable diffusion. Further, domestic political regimes appear to influence the extent to which elite sports are adopted, with more liberal governments being more willing to further subsidize sport for development purposes. Know more on this by visiting 해외스포츠중계.
These insights have several implications for the international governing bodies of sports (ISGBs) as they seek to promote persistent and sustained elite sport participation globally. In particular, lower infrastructure requirements and the perception of higher visibility are deemed to be the most effective levers for influencing nations’ decisions to invest in elite sports. However, these low-cost policies do not seem to inspire commitments that would motivate sustained investment in national elite sport systems, suggesting that ISGBs need to develop more targeted strategies for elite sports diffusion.
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