Designing a qualitative model of authority in sports environments

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Physical Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/jsmk.2026.71050.1231

Abstract

Authority is a very effective form of influence and is more reliable and durable than coercion; leaders always try to transform their influence into authority.Most of the existing studies in the field of coach authority rely on quantitative and theoretical approaches, and comprehensive qualitative models that examine different dimensions of authority in sports environments have received less attention and need to be developed.This study was conducted with the aim of qualitative analysis of authority in sports environments.The research method was qualitative and data-based with the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 academic and sports experts and analyzed in three stages of open, axial and selective coding. The findings showed that authority in sports environments is affected by five main categories: causal conditions (trust, individual and group empowerment, management and leadership), contextual conditions (organizational culture, team interactions), intervening conditions (lack of communication, lack of motivation), strategies (positive leadership, transparency, participation in decision-making) and consequences (increased performance, development of skills).The results emphasize that authority in sport is not formed as a tool of domination, but as an interactive, ethical, and trust-based process whose legitimacy depends on the professional competence, fair treatment, and psychological empowerment of coaches.By providing strategies such as constructive feedback, emotional intelligence training, and support structures, this model provides a framework for improving team management and policymaking in sports institutions.The present study, relying on a local and multilevel approach, is a step towards understanding the dynamics of authority in dynamic sports environments.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Alizadeh jenaghard, h., & Mousavi Rad, S. T. (2022). The Effect of Coaches' Power Resources on Motivation for Athletic Progress and Athletic Commitment of Student Athletes at Payam Noor University, South Tehran The 8th National Conference of Sport Sciences and Physical Education of Iran,  https://civilica.com/doc/1649556  (Persian)
Arthur, C. A., Bastardoz, N., & Eklund, R. (2017). Transformational leadership in sport: Current status and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 78-83. https://doi.org/https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.04.001
Babiak, K., & Wolfe, R. (2009). Determinants of corporate social responsibility in professional sport: Internal and external factors. Journal of sport management, 23(6), 717-742. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.23.6.717
Barnard, C. I. (1968). The functions of the executive (Vol. 11). Harvard university press. https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Functions_of_the_Executive.html?id=W9BsFQf834wC
Bendix, R. (2019). Work and Authority in Industry. Routledge. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351298964
Bourgoin, A., Bencherki, N., & Faraj, S. (2020). “And who are you?”: A performative perspective on authority in organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 63(4), 1. 1134-1165
https://www.scribd.com/document/726200382/AND-WHO-ARE-YOU-A-PERFORMATIVE-PERSPECTIVE-ON-AUTHORITY-IN-ORGANIZATIONS-ALARIC-BOURGOIN
Choudhury, R., & Das, D. (2024). The Science of Team Dynamics: A Review of Psychological Factors Influencing Team Performance in Sports. International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology, 217-224. https://doi.org/10.48175/IJARSCT-22726
Dirks, K. T. (2000). Trust in leadership and team performance: evidence from NCAA basketball. Journal of applied psychology, 85(6), 1004. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.85.6.1004
Eglene, O., Dawes, S. S., & Schneider, C. A. (2007). Authority and leadership patterns in public sector knowledge networks. The American Review of Public Administration, 37(1), 91-113. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074006290799?urlappend=%3Futm_source%3Dresearchgate.net%26utm_medium%3Darticle
Eys, M., Bruner, M. W., & Martin, L. J. (2019). The dynamic group environment in sport and exercise. Psychology of sport and exercise, 42, 40-47. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.11.001
Fayol, H. (2016). General and industrial management. Ravenio Books. https://books.google.com/books/about/General_and_Industrial_Management.html?id=WFp5DQAAQBAJ
Gosai, J., Jowett, S., & Nascimento-Júnior, J. R. A. D. (2023). When leadership, relationships and psychological safety promote flourishing in sport and life. Sports Coaching Review, 12(2), 145-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/21640629.2021.1936960
Held, D. (2022). Models of Democracy (A. Mokhber, Trans.; 5 ed.). roshangaran & Women's Studies. https://www.iranketab.ir/book/103568-models-of-democracy (Persian).
Hiller, N. J., Sin, H.-P., Ponnapalli, A. R., & Ozgen, S. (2019). Benevolence and authority as WEIRDly unfamiliar: A multi-language meta-analysis of paternalistic leadership behaviors from 152 studies. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), 165-184. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.11.003
Ibaba, I .(2021). Foundations of political science. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355717531_FOUNDATIONS_OF_POLITICAL_SCIENCE
Jowett, S. (2005). On repairing and enhancing the coach-athlete relationship. The psychology of coaching, 14-26. https://www.academia.edu/19635672/On_repairing_and_enhancing_the_coach_athlete_relationship
Kellogg, K. C. (2009). Operating room: Relational spaces and microinstitutional change in surgery. American journal of sociology, 115(3), 657-711. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1086/603535
Kim, B. (2025). The impact of swimming coaches’ authentic leadership coaching on trust, self-efficacy, service quality, and relationship continuity intention [Original Research]. Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 16 - 2025. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1640823/full
Kolar, E., Biloslavo, R., Pišot, R., Veličković, S., & Tušak, M. (2024). Conceptual framework of coaches' decision-making in conventional sports. Front Psychol, 15, 1498186. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1498186
Larijani, A., & Gholami Abristan, G. (2011). The Relationship between Authority and Legitimacy in the Islamic Political System. Quarterly Journal of International Relations Studies, 4(16), 65-92. https://journals.iau.ir/article_524475.html (Persian).
Malacko, J., Stanković, V., Marković, E., & Arsić, L. (2019). Leadership in sport: Creative challenges and encouragement, optimal effectiveness in integral interactive transformation and high effectiveness in final applications. Physical education and sport through the centuries, 6(1), 15-28. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2478/spes-2019-0002
McCall, A., Wolfberg, A., Ivarsson, A., Dupont, G., Larocque, A., & Bilsborough, J. (2023). A qualitative study of 11 world-class team-sport athletes’ experiences answering subjective questionnaires: A key ingredient for ‘visible’health and performance monitoring? Sports Medicine, 53(5), 1085-1100. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01814-3
Medadi Nansa, e., Ghafouri, F., Shahlaee Bagheri, J., & Keshkar, S. (2022). Developing a model of social development through educational sport [Research]. New Trends in Sport Management, 9(35), 133-147. http://ntsmj.issma.ir/article-1-1794-en.html (persian).
Medadi Nansa, E., Ghafouri, F., Shahlaee, J., & Keshkar, S. (2022). The role of professional sport on social development indicators in Iran. Sport Management Studies, 14(72), 17-46. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.22089/smrj.2020.8365.2866 persian(
Mospan, M. A., & Kovalchuk, V. I. (2018). Psychological background for authority forming of sports coaches. Mospan, m.a & kovalchuk, v.i.(2018). Psychological background for authority forming of sports coaches. Scientific Bulletin of KSU Series Psychological Sciences(4), 54-60. https://doi.org/https://pj.journal.kspu.edu/index.php/pj/article/download/134/129/
Nerets, R., & Līcis, R. (2025). Power Dynamics in Sport Governance and the Potential of Scientific/Intellectual Movements (SIMs) for Maintaining the Balance of Power: Literature Review and Future Agenda. LASE: Journal of Sport Science, 2024, 81-101. https://doi.org/10.25143/lase_joss.v15i1-2.08
Neville, R. D., Guo, Y., Boreham, C. A., & Lakes, K. D. (2021). Longitudinal association between participation in organized sport and psychosocial development in early childhood. The Journal of Pediatrics, 230, 152-160. e151. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.10.077
Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications. https://books.google.com/books?id=6qYLEAAAQBAJ
Rush, M. (2023). Politics and Society An Introduction to Political Sociology (M. Sabouri, Trans.). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315835143 (SAMT)
Sahin, B. (2022). Effective Leadership Types in Change Management in Sports Organizations. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, 4(4), 562-580. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonses.485
Stivers, C. (2018). Democracy, bureaucracy, and the study of administration. Routledge. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429501036
Zhang, T., Zhang, M., Yang, Y., & Luo, J. (2024). A Review of The Impact of Coach Authority on Sports Emotions and Behavioral Responses. Quality in Sport, 34, 56170-56170. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2024.34.56170
Journal of Sport Management Knowledge
Volume 4, Issue 1 - Serial Number 7
September 2026
Pages 1-19

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 03 January 2026
  • Revise Date: 02 February 2026
  • Accept Date: 26 April 2026

Share

How to cite

Statistics