ABSTRACT
Public diplomacy has flourished in a globalised era that emphasises on interconnectedness, democratisation, transparency, openness and innovation. The universality of physical pursuits enables public sports diplomacy to leverage the individual 'public nodes' of 'the sport network', which in turn forms part of the broader 'tourism, art and culture, business and education network'. Networked sports diplomacy concerns translating doctrines into operations; theories into practice, in other words. In the case of networked sports diplomacy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) provides a nodal point in a horizontal and vertical network composed of state partners (other government Ministries with an interest, or stake, in sport) and 'unconventional diplomats' – sportspeople, and commercial and sporting organisations. To promote it as a sustainable force for good, however, a frank appraisal of the challenges, issues and limitations of sports diplomacy is also important.
