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International Area Studies Review
[ Article ]
International Area Studies Review - Vol. 29, No. 2, pp.203-228
ISSN: 2233-8659 (Print)
Print publication date 30 Jun 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2026.29.2.203

Comparative Analysis of Sports Policies Under Different Political Systems: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis

Fangni Li*
Lecturer, School of International Communication, Communication University of China

Correspondence to: *Email: lifangni@cuc.edu.cn

Abstract

This study presents a systematic review with structured thematic synthesis of global sports policies under diverse political systems, examining how governance models, funding frameworks, and policy implementation relate to elite performance, grassroots participation, and athlete support. Drawing on 34 peer-reviewed studies, the analysis reveals significant variations in political influence, ranging from centralized to decentralized governance, with corresponding differences in financing mechanisms such as state budgets, lottery revenues, and mixed public–private models. Findings indicate that higher and more strategically allocated funding, robust training facilities, and specialized coaching are consistently linked to improved international performance, while democratic systems generally promote more equitable development across elite and grassroots levels. However, persistent challenges—such as structural fragmentation, stakeholder conflicts, corruption, and resource constraints—limit policy effectiveness, particularly in developing contexts. Rather than treating regime type as a direct explanatory variable, the analysis traces how governance-capacity dimensions—state capacity, arm’s-length accountability, federation autonomy, policy coherence, and implementation capability—mediate the relationship between political systems and sport policy outcomes. Gender equity outcomes vary widely, with notable progress in some nations and stagnation in others, reflecting broader societal and cultural influences. The study concludes that coherent governance, stable financing, and inclusive athlete support are critical for sustainable sports development and offers comparative insights to inform evidence-based policymaking across political regimes.

Keywords:

Sport policies, Sport development, Sport governance, Area studies

AI Acknowledgment

Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were not used in any way to prepare, write, or complete essential authoring tasks in this manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in this research.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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