The Evolution of Military Sports Diplomacy: Competition and Cooperation in the Global Era

In 2019, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) hosted the International Military World Games (MWG), with over 9,000 military athletes from 109 countries in 27 sports. The opening ceremonies were a “50-minute extravaganza” titled the Torch of Peace in a stadium packed with 60,000 spectators, including the PRC President, Xi Jinping. The president of the lead organisation, the Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM), deemed the event a resounding success: "Sports always builds bridges, sports never erects walls.” Yet, where did the idea of military sports as a mechanism to influence diplomacy originate? And do sports always build bridges and never erect walls? Since the early 20th century, Military Sports Diplomacy has been a complex reflection of societal trends, and, as this thesis argues, has led to multiple outcomes dependent on the structure of the games.

This thesis explores sports played among foreign militaries for diplomatic objectives since 1919. While sports were primarily seen as preparation for war during the Victorian and Edwardian eras, military sports were increasingly viewed as a mechanism to foster cooperation and advance national interests away from the battlefield after World War I. Due to their hegemonic positions in the 19th and 20th centuries, their advanced military cultures, and their passion for sports, Great Britain and the United States played pivotal roles in shaping Military Sports Diplomacy in the decades preceding and following the Great War. Yet, military sports remain an underexplored diplomatic tool in an operational environment that increasingly depends on influence through coalition partnerships rather than winning a single campaign. This study traces the evolution of Military Sports Diplomacy (MSD) by applying the ideas of classical war theorists across four categories: Enduring MSD, Special Event MSD, Improvised MSD, and Rehabilitative MSD. By war theory, this thesis refers to the study of the nature and character of war as a distinctly human activity. Each category is discussed within a broader historical context before applying the global diplomacy framework (communication, representation, and negotiation) to representative case studies.