ISSN (Print) : 0974-6846 Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 9(29), DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i29/89854, August 2016 ISSN (Online) : 0974-5645 The Politicization of Sports as a Soft Power Public Resource Vera A. Korneeva1 and Evgeny S. Ogurtsov2,3 1Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation; [email protected] 2Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation 3LLC Southern Center of Engineering and Technology Transfer, Russian Federation Abstract The review article is devoted to the sports issues as a soft power resource. Being an integral part of social, cultural and political life of the society, sports are considered in the article in the context of a “soft” influence tool in country’s domestic and foreign policy. Branding of the Olympic movement and the actualization of sporting identity can serve examples of the mechanism for obtaining reputational dividends and promoting the country. In domestic policy of the state sports have a strategicKeywords: importance for the regions management. Sports, Sports Branding, Sports Policy, Sports Politicization, “Soft Power”, Regionalism of Sports Policy 1. Introduction of our country. In addition to the winter Olympic and Paralympics Games in Sochi in 2014, Russia hosted the In the globalization era sports are undergoing World Championship in Track and Field, the World transformation from cultural-historical to socio-political Summer Student Games in 2013, as well as the World phenomenon. A distinctive feature of sports in the today’s Championship in Water Sports in 2015, and the World world is its apparent institutionalization under the condi- Cup in Football which will be held in 2018. tions of market economy and information society. In fact, Sports, as a social phenomenon, appear in the slave sports become a new historical form of institutionaliza- society and is used in accordance with the needs of social tion of socio-economic processes1-23. practice. Physical culture and sports have reached their The relationship of sports with policy in the XX century peak in ancient Greece, which hosted the first Olympic is becoming more and more obvious. International sports Games (IX century BC). are today actively used in ideological and political pur- The Olympic Games were a tool for peace, facilitating poses, and become an arena of mainstream policy. As a the negotiations between the cities, promoting under- result of the intervention of the state into the sports sphere, standing and communication between the states. it becomes one of the strategic instruments of countries’ Considering this period, we can speak about the origin foreign and domestic policy. Sports act as a state mecha- of sports as a socio-political phenomenon, while physical nism of non-administrative impact on public perception culture becomes relatively independent branch of culture and the collective representation. in various states. Throughout the history of mankind sports in different 2. Results and Discussion degrees was popularized and engaged in the public life of society. For some time the sports really represented Russia is entering a five-year period (2013-2018) of great an organized competition, for the other time they were leap forward, therefore the sports issues become par- raised to the rank of worship, value, or even scholastically ticularly relevant as a strategic tool in the state strategy dramatized. *Author for correspondence The Politicization of Sports as a Soft Power Public Resource The idea of the sports politicization in the XX century policy of the Russian Federation. Let reveal the theme of is not shared by all theorists. Thus, Norwegian anthropol- sports as a tool in the hands of state management, where ogist and historian Huizinga insists: “In modern sports the sports is the brand resource of regional and national such kind of links entirely disappeared. This is purely a development. worldly affair, not having any organic connection with Visual appeal of sports has deep cultural roots. It is the structure of society, even if exercising sports are pre- in this incarnation the sports carried a large social ben- scribed by authorities. The sport is rather self expression efits. Primarily, here the most important fact is that such of agonal instincts than a factor of a productive sense fights in the tribes that are familiar with this custom were of solidarity. The perfection, with which modern social used for judicial decision making. Other forms of justice mechanisms are able to enhance the external effect of except of fighting were unknown to these tribes. This is public events, changes nothing in the fact that neither the only way to arrange variety of opinions. Another way Olympic Games, nor the organization of sports activities of forming public opinion simply does not exist20. in American universities, nor noisily promoted competi- Success in high performance sports brings tangible tions between countries are not able to elevate sports to reputational dividends to the region, country and politi- the level of activity, creating style and culture. Whatever cal leaders (15). Sports based branding is an important its value for competitors and spectators, it remains sterile resource in the implementation of the political course of function, where the ancient game factor mostly already the country at the present stage of international relations. managed to die”20. The aim of sports branding is the formation of the mod- To parry the author one can use the following ern image of Russia abroad. The topic of active handling arguments: firstly, this book was released in 1938, so to the sports as a tool of public diplomacy is increasingly the most striking moments of political confrontation in common in modern political discourse, for example, in sports of the XX century happened much later; secondly, the works of O. F. Rusakova, one of the domestic found- the historical homeland of the author is Norway, known ers of the “soft power” theory. Thus, the author separates for its true democratic political structure, which does not “Olympics” as one of the parameters in the general “soft contribute to occurrence of pseudo-political processes power” indices nomenclature: “...holding the Olympic and phenomena; thirdly, IX Summer Olympic Games of Games serve a unique opportunity for the host country to 1936, held in Germany, are a prime example of not sport- win appreciation and admiration for the achievements in ing but political rivalry of Nazi Germany. Hitler, who the field of sports from other countries”16. came to power, could not miss such a significant event Soviet sports also tackled the task of strengthening the and actively used international sports festival to promote foreign policy statuses of the USSR, and the international his ideology. contacts of Soviet athletes contributed to the develop- The need for sports as an additional resource of ment of mutual understanding and friendship with lobbying the interests on the part of authorities has led those nations, with whom the Soviet state was interested to its politicization. Sports as a tool of domestic and for- to maintain good relationships4. During the “cold war” eign policy becomes the subject of our further research. records in sports were a serious argument in the struggle Today we are witnessing intense developing of integration of two political blocks for world domination. processes of physical culture and sports into the economy, While earlier, under the conditions when the Soviet culture, health, religion, ecology and other spheres of athletes had to meet with teams representing the states social and political life. that were in tense relations with the Soviet Union, the sig- It is through the multidimensional relationships nificance of the victory was repeatedly increased, today of sports we discover its multifunctional role in the the tasks are more objectless – just the illustration of modern world. Social characteristics and functions of achievements. Today we can speak about Russian sports modern sports in the Russian reality include the fol- as a soft power in state policy of Russia. lowing: supranationalism, commercialization, atheism, Here is an example with the Olympic Games, which branding, regionalism, bailout, as well as mobilizing, are used for political purposes. Recall that sports, as a integrating and facilitating resources7. Noted sports social phenomenon, appeared in the slave society and characteristics in their relationship and combination were used in accordance with the needs of social prac- solve a broad range of tasks in domestic and foreign tice. Physical culture and sports have reached their peak 2 Vol 9 (29) | August 2016 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology Vera A. Korneeva and Evgeny S. Ogurtsov in ancient Greece, which hosted the first Olympic Games the country and come to the conclusion that the Russian (IX century BC). Federation with the current state of the economy could The Olympic Games were a tool for peace, facilitating sink into oblivion following the Soviet Union”; “to expose the negotiations between the cities, promoting Russia working on the own image as a spender, not able to understanding and communication between the states. take care of its own citizens”11; “...the Russian President has Considering this period we can speak about the origin achieved considerable success on the international stage of sports as a socio-political phenomenon. Achievements <...>, whereas in the “internal front” - in the area of eco- of the national