A Review-Analytical Study: A Sustainable Management Model for Sport Organizations in Iran Based on Current Economic Challenges

Abstract

Iranian sport organizations operate in a highly turbulent economic environment characterized by chronic inflation, currency volatility, sanctions-related transaction frictions, and constrained public budgets. These pressures intensify long-standing structural issues in Iranian sport, such as unstable revenues, weak commercialization infrastructure, and governance constraints that limit strategic flexibility. This review-analytical paper synthesizes international evidence on sport financial sustainability, good governance, stakeholder-based sustainability, and organizational resilience, and connects it with emerging Iran-specific evidence on sanctions and sport markets. We propose an integrated sustainable management model tailored to the realities of Iranian sport organizations. The model combines five pillars: (1) governance and integrity reform, (2) diversified and “sanctions-resilient” revenue architecture, (3) cost discipline and human resource sustainability, (4) digital and community-based value creation, and (5) risk management with performance monitoring. Drawing on the logic of resource dependence and stakeholder theory, the model emphasizes reducing vulnerability to single funding sources, building transparent accountability mechanisms, and aligning sport development goals with social legitimacy and financial viability. The paper concludes with implementable implications for federations, clubs, municipalities, and policy makers, including phased privatization readiness, commercial capability building, and sanctions-aware financial planning.