International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics
The current paper conceptualizes international sport governing bodies (ISGBs) as “agents of diffusion,” whose key strategic interest is in the broadest participation in their sports. Our research examines the impact of a specific diffusion strategy, adopted by World Athletics in 2008, which was esse...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.1025023/full |
| _version_ | 1797984291301359616 |
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| author | Mara Konjer Henk Erik Meier Jörg Krieger |
| author_facet | Mara Konjer Henk Erik Meier Jörg Krieger |
| author_sort | Mara Konjer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current paper conceptualizes international sport governing bodies (ISGBs) as “agents of diffusion,” whose key strategic interest is in the broadest participation in their sports. Our research examines the impact of a specific diffusion strategy, adopted by World Athletics in 2008, which was essentially the decentralization of decision-making power to license athletics events, and which aimed to increase the sports' visibility and accessibility, especially in previously underdeveloped markets like Africa. We evaluate these efforts' impact by analyzing data from the season's bests lists of World Athletics from 2001 to 2019. Therefore, we employ multilevel regressions. The results are complex but instructive. We find that the efforts were of limited success especially in target regions. Still, the strategy inspired more countries to invest in both hosting new events and sending athletes to new disciplines. However, our results cast some doubt about the sustainability of these efforts. The need for a better conceptualization of relevant domestic factors becomes evident. Furthermore, we find that diffusion strategies, which do not offer material incentives, are of limited efficacy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:59:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b3539c78a68b487dba8963a412905877 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T06:59:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj.art-b3539c78a68b487dba8963a4129058772022-12-22T04:38:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672022-11-01410.3389/fspor.2022.10250231025023International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World AthleticsMara Konjer0Henk Erik Meier1Jörg Krieger2Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Münster, GermanyInstitute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Münster, GermanyDepartment of Public Health—Sport Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DenmarkThe current paper conceptualizes international sport governing bodies (ISGBs) as “agents of diffusion,” whose key strategic interest is in the broadest participation in their sports. Our research examines the impact of a specific diffusion strategy, adopted by World Athletics in 2008, which was essentially the decentralization of decision-making power to license athletics events, and which aimed to increase the sports' visibility and accessibility, especially in previously underdeveloped markets like Africa. We evaluate these efforts' impact by analyzing data from the season's bests lists of World Athletics from 2001 to 2019. Therefore, we employ multilevel regressions. The results are complex but instructive. We find that the efforts were of limited success especially in target regions. Still, the strategy inspired more countries to invest in both hosting new events and sending athletes to new disciplines. However, our results cast some doubt about the sustainability of these efforts. The need for a better conceptualization of relevant domestic factors becomes evident. Furthermore, we find that diffusion strategies, which do not offer material incentives, are of limited efficacy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.1025023/fulldiffusion of sportsinternational sport governing bodiesWorld Athleticsdiffusion strategiesathletics |
| spellingShingle | Mara Konjer Henk Erik Meier Jörg Krieger International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics Frontiers in Sports and Active Living diffusion of sports international sport governing bodies World Athletics diffusion strategies athletics |
| title | International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics |
| title_full | International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics |
| title_fullStr | International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics |
| title_full_unstemmed | International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics |
| title_short | International sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion—The case of World Athletics |
| title_sort | international sport governing bodies as agents of diffusion the case of world athletics |
| topic | diffusion of sports international sport governing bodies World Athletics diffusion strategies athletics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.1025023/full |
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