Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Masters Degree in Strategic Management of Sports Organizations, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran
2
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The present study aimed to develop a systematic and sustainable strategic plan for Iran’s Elite Sports Talent Olympiad in order to enhance sport governance. The research employed a descriptive–field design with an applied approach, and data were collected in 2025. The main data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire based on the SWOT analysis model, whose content validity was confirmed by experts and reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The statistical population consisted of 370 key stakeholders of the Elite Sports Talent Olympiad, including heads of sport federations, managers of the Ministry of Sport and Youth, and sport elites, all of whom were studied using a census sampling method. The results of the strategic analysis indicated that the Olympiad is positioned in a defensive strategic situation (WT). Accordingly, the main proposed strategies include increasing awareness and culture-building, developing a targeted growth program for underprivileged regions, designing an integrated talent management system, and strengthening provincial sport infrastructures. Finally, it is recommended that the Ministry of Sport and Youth establish a “Research and Strategic Steering Unit” to facilitate the systematic implementation of these strategies and to institutionalize sustainable and effective sport talent development.
Highlights
Al-Khafaji, A.A., Ahmed, S.M. & Kareem, H.F. (2024). Strategic planning and organizational performance in Iraq’s manufacturing sector. Sustainability, 16(15), 6690.
Bryson, J.M., Crosby, B.C. & Bloomberg, L. (2024).Public value governance: Moving beyond traditional public administration and the new public management. International Public Management Journal, 27(1), 1–22.
Vitali, R. O. . (2022). STRATEGIC PLANNING IN INDOOR SPORTS UNITS. LUMEN ET VIRTUS, 12(30). https://doi.org/10.56238/levv12n30-016
De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S. & Van Bottenburg, M. (2022). Sports policy factors leading to international success: An updated model. European Sport Management Quarterly, 22(3), 345–365.
De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S., & van Bottenburg, M. (2026). Evaluating successful elite sport policies: the SPLISS model. In Managing High Performance Sport. Routledge. 1-23
Ford, P.R., Williams, A.M. & Côté, J. (2025). Sustainable talent development environments in elite youth sport. Sports Medicine, 55(2), 215–229.
García‑Unanue, J., Felis‑Anaya, M. & Gallardo, L. (2024). Strategic governance and defensive approaches in sport organizations: A SWOT‑based analysis. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.
Green, M. & Oakley, B. (2021). Elite sport development systems and Olympic success: Policy, structure, and strategic planning. International Journal of Sports Policy and Politics, 13(2), 214–238.
Hide, K., Takasugi, Y. & Nakamura, M. (2002). Strategic formulation and implementation in public sports organizations. Sport Science Review, 11(2), 81–102.
Hill, C.W. & Jones, G.R. (2020). Strategic management theory: An integrated approach (12th ed.). Cengage Learning.
International Olympic Committee. (2021). IOC Sustainability Strategy. Lausanne: IOC.
Khademi, A., Majdi, N. & Nader Nasab, M. (2017). Compilation of marketing strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran Wrestling Federation. Sports Management and Development Quarterly, 7(4), consecutive 6 {[In Persian]
Konan, P., Winand, M. & Zintz, T. (2024). Twin transformation as a strategic approach in sport management: Integrating digitalisation and sustainability. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, Article 1403793.
Konani, H., Sabouri, M. & Izadi, N. (2025). A comparative analysis of strategic decision‑making factors in elite and public sport in Iran. Quarterly Journal of Sustainable Management Development, 6(3), 123–148. [In Persian]
Nikdast, H. (2022). Compiling the Structural Modeling of Barriers to Strategic Planning Implementation in Iranian Sport Federations. Strategic Studies on Youth and Sports, 21(55), 147-164. doi: 10.22034/ssys.2022.775.1531
Seoul, Y., Kim, Y. & Chang, D. (2017). Strategic planning and organizational survival in global sports markets. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 26(4), 290–310.
Till, K., Cobley, S. & Baker, J. (2023). Talent identification and development in sport: International perspectives. Routledge Handbook of Talent Identification and Development in Sport.Routledge.
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/70/1.
Keywords
)