Research on Women's Sports

Identifying the impact of political and social upheavals on Iranian women's sports using Lorenz's chaos theory approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Reza Shajie 1
Kianoosh Shajie 2
Majid Khorsandifard 3

1 Assistant Professor, Payam Noor University, Alborz, Iran

2 Faculty Member of Sport Sciences, Binaloud Institution of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran

3 PHD in Sport Management, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22089/rws.2025.17790.1058
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of political and social upheavals on Iranian women's sports using Lorenz's chaos theory. Women's sports in Iran, as part of the country's social and cultural system, have always been directly and indirectly affected by political and social developments. This study seeks to identify how political and social upheavals affect various aspects of women's sports, including macro-policies, resource allocation, women's participation, media coverage, and the physical and mental health of female athletes. The methodology of this study is qualitative and Glaser's grounded theory method was used to analyze the data. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 expert athletes, coaches, and female sports managers, and sampling was done using the snowball method. Data analysis was conducted in three stages: open, axial, and selective coding. The findings of the study showed that political and social unrest has led to instability in sports policies, reduced budgets and facilities, and limited women’s participation in sports. In addition, these unrests have negatively affected cultural and social attitudes and have led to a decrease in family and community support for women’s sports. In addition, the decrease in media coverage and the presentation of negative stereotypes of female athletes have weakened their status and motivation. On the other hand, the unrests have increased stress and anxiety in female athletes and have affected their physical and mental health.

Keywords

Iranian Women&‌rsquo
s Sports
Socio-political Instability
Edward Lorenz&‌rsquo
s Chaos Theory
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Research on Women's Sports
Volume 2, Issue 5
February 2025
Pages 43-58

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