The Role of Sports in the Development of Turkish-Soviet Relations from Türkiye's Perspective (1924-1936)

Abstract

With its appeal beyond borders, sports have become an important tool used by the governments of various countries to be more effective in international politics. The aim of this study is to reveal how sports is applied in international relations within the framework of Turkish-Soviet relations. The Soviet Union (USSR) was one of the countries with which Türkiye had the most contact in sports during the interwar period. As a result of the regime change, both countries aimed to prove their existence and power to the world. They used sports as a tool, which is one of the important ways to show this. The governments of both countries played an active role in ensuring these sports encounters which contributed to the development of friendly relations between the people of the two countries. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.