Development and sustainability are the two main axes that support the objectives of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals - this has implications for global sport. On the one hand, the "Sport for Development and Peace" (SDP) movement has been especially active in developing countries, leading to a growing focus on the social role of sport and accompanied by increasing research in the area. On the other hand, within the framework of the triple bottom line (which measures success in three areas: people, profit, and the planet), the search for economic, social, and environmental sustainability in and through sport is increasingly an area of research. Additionally, within the framework of the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) approach, governance is added as a cross-cutting axis when evaluating to what extent a sports organization works on behalf of social objectives, which go beyond maximizing the profits of its shareholders.

All of this takes place within the context of global sport. Few activities have an economic and social impact comparable to sports. Sporting events such as the the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games achieve global coverage unmatched in other sectors. However, sports provide an interesting paradox: on the one hand, they are vehicles for implementing economic and social development policies. On the other, they are the bearers of anti-values such as doping, match-fixing, episodes of violence, racial and gender discrimination, lack of transparency, poor financial management, and a growing disconnection from society.

With this in mind, this Research Topic aims, within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), to investigate, address and/or assess the political and management strategies created and implements to optimize sports facilities, events, and organizations (public, private, and non-profit) in relation to development and sustainability, particularly on a global scale.

This Research Topic invites papers (including but not limited to literature reviews) that explore the political and management strategies that allow for the optimization of the development and sustainability of sports facilities, events, and organizations (public, private, and non-profit) as they face the challenges and opportunities of the current sporting scenario. Potential areas of focus include, but are not limited to:
• Innovation in Sports Management and Marketing
• Sports Politics, Policy and Law
• Economic and financial sustainability in sport
• Sport for development
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in sport
• Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) in sport
• Corporate social responsibility in and through sport
• Transparency and accountability in sport
• Public-private partnerships in sport
• Disclosure of non-financial information in sport
• Circular economy in sport

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Sports Policy and Management in the Era of Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges and Opportunities