The previous two parts in this mini-series looked at sport more generally – including how to boost participation amongst as many people as possible. This final part looks at the sporting elite and how an independent Wales can approach developing the next generation of Welsh sporting talent.
In the absence of an independent foreign policy or engaged diaspora, athletes and sports are amongst the few ways people around the world know Wales exists.
Gareth Bale is known everywhere. Tanni Grey-Thompson is one of the greatest Paralympians ever. The Welsh men’s rugby team will be probably what most people in the Commonwealth think of first when it comes to “Wales”.
Sport, therefore, forms one of the main pillars of a nation’s “soft power” – diplomacy that takes place outside of the formal structures of international relations and the exclusive domain of professional diplomats.
Sport can also reflect a nation’s values and sense of itself, forming part of that nation’s face to the world.
The Pros and Cons of Sports Diplomacy
A major paper was published by the British Council in 2020 on how Wales could develop a sports diplomacy strategy4.
A summary of the main identified benefits of sports diplomacy include:
- Its low costs and relatively high impact given the global popularity of sport.
- Informal relationships developed through sport can lead to more formal diplomacy and brand-building.
- Sports organisations already have “mature and extensive” international networks that governments can piggyback on.
- Athletes could be considered “diplomats in tracksuits” who represent their countries on and off the field.
There are downsides to using sport as a diplomatic tool, of course. Some countries view sporting success as a means to project power and domination so institute state-backed doping programmes.
There’s also the growing problem of “sportswashing” by authoritarian countries, where such regimes invest large sums of money in sports, clubs or events to soften their image in democracies which would otherwise be critical of them.
What can Wales learn from other nations’s approach to sports diplomacy?
New Zealand was picked out in the report as an example of a small nation that has used sporting diplomacy to its benefit.
The All Blacks and haka are described as “recognised cultural symbols in world sport”. New Zealand has also used its sporting heritage when lobbying for a seat on the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s diplomats and politicians have played friendly matches against parliamentarians and diplomats in other countries.
Larger countries such as the United States, Australia and France have used sports diplomacy effectively too.
The US has used sport as part of “hearts and minds” operations during The War on Terror.
Australia has a formal sports diplomacy strategy that challenges the attitudes of professional diplomats by recognising that sport is one of the first things people think of when it comes to Australia.
France‘s policy – developed after missing out on hosting the 2012 Olympics – tied multiple objectives together. This culminated with them successfully hosting several major sporting events, including the 2024 Olympics & Paralympics.
Aside from continuing to learn from best practices elsewhere, the report concluded that for Wales to develop a successful sports diplomacy strategy, we would need to consider:
- Collecting more detailed data/information on the sports “ecosystem” in Wales, including the economic and social contribution of sport, as well as Wales’ international profile in sport.
- Creating a sports diplomacy working group, including representatives from Sport Wales, the Welsh Government and other interested parties “with international expertise” (i.e. universities).
- Closer working between the Welsh Government and sports bodies for their mutual benefit; i.e. sports bodies open the doors to the Welsh Government on the international stage, the Welsh Government can offer assistance in things like bids for major events.
- Sport Wales taking the lead on sports diplomacy more generally.
One way for a city, region or nation to exert “soft power” is by hosting major sporting events, as such events can put places that would otherwise be overlooked on the map.
4. Dr Stuart Murray & Gavin Price, British Council (October 2020). “Towards a Welsh sports diplomacy strategy”. Available at: https://wales.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/towards_a_welsh_sports_diplomacy_strategy_0.pdf
