Analyzing Dominant Discourses and Power Challenges in the Advancement of Iranian Futsal over the Last Two Decades: A Post-Structuralist Approach

This study examines the paradox of Irans international success in futsal in contrast to its marginal role within the countrys sports management structure. The central issue is identifying the dominant power discourses that sustain this situation and proposing solutions for the comprehensive advancement of futsal. The objective is to analyze the hidden layers of power from a post-structuralist perspective, providing a deeper understanding of unequal relations in resources, media attention, and social legitimacy. The research methodology was qualitative and exploratory, based on a post-structural theoretical framework and employing Foucaults methods. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were utilized. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 key stakeholders, including managers, coaches, players, and analysts, along with the analysis of official documents and media sources. The study underwent qualitative research auditing. The discourse analysis focused on the principles of problematizing taken-for-granted phenomena, attending to historical contexts, and examining discursive oppositions, in order to identify dominant discourses and potential resistance. Key findings reveal a complex network of power discourses across various layers: hegemonic-ideological, structural-institutional, economic, gender-based, technological, and informal. These discourses portray futsal as a supplementary and peripheral discipline, while resistances, the use of social networks to foster alternative discourses, demonstrate potential for transformation. This research emphasizes that the advancement of futsal extends beyond technical matters and requires a discursive reevaluation of power structures. Significant implications include recommendations for multi-stakeholder governance, enhanced transparency, and the recognition of resistance discourses, which could aid in moving futsal from the margins and strengthening its international standing.