ABSTRACT
This chapter debates the potential future of Russia’s Vladimir Putin’s use of sport for soft power purposes. Putin’s response to international sport sanctions is assessed as part of an alternative narrative driven by Russia to question the legitimacy of international sports bodies. The chapter documents Putin’s previous use of sport as an instrument of power inherited from the Soviet era and as one that could restore Russia’s prestige and be used as a tool for social control. Given the international repercussions of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s pivot to domestic and regional parallel tournaments is examined. The chapter concludes with three scenarios for the future of sport soft power in Russia.
