By investing in a sporting event the magnitude of the FIFA World Cup as part of its public and cultural diplomacy exercise, South Africa was able to promote the country’s passion for an international game and to portray South Africa as a hospitable nation and host to the world.

Sports boycotts, as part of sports diplomacy or the use of sports for political or diplomatic means, have occurred on a number of occassions in the past. The most notorious examples are the Olympic Games of 1980 in Moscow and 1984 in Los Angeles, both heavily influenced by Cold War politics. But also in 2008 only 9 leaders of EU Member States attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Papua New Guinea and the Pacific are to be at the centre of a new sport diplomacy policy being developed by Australia's opposition Liberal National coalition.

The European Commission and other political leaders are planning to boycott the event because of the alleged ill-treatment of the country’s former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko who has been on hunger strike for several weeks...

The European Commission and other political leaders are planning to boycott the event because of the alleged ill-treatment of the country’s former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko...Lots of people say that sport and politics shouldn’t mix. But the reality is that they very often do and not...

Ding, 24, made it to the U.S. through a football diplomacy program of sorts. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) / USA Football International Student Program offers football training clinics for foreign teens, and funds educational opportunities in the States for promising players

Hundreds of Chinese Students and Faculty filled the auditorium of Tianjin University of Sport for the inauguration ceremony of a unique new center that will share U.S. culture through the medium of sport.