<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Using the example of the 2019 inaugural UAE Tour, this study demonstrates how cycling stars indirectly promote countries hosting globally watched sporting events through their Twitter accounts. This study presents a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of the Twitter activity of selected cycling stars. However, this promotion is only a secondary result of their activity on social media; professional athletes use their Twitter accounts as a platform for self-presentation and to show their daily lives to fans. If the athletes are active on social media, it is almost impossible for them to avoid speaking about the host countries, indirectly evaluate them, and provide information about them to their followers. While sports celebrities’ social media profiles are a limited space for the promotion of host countries, they can also help improve the image of the countries and present them in a positive light. Of course, political leaders use countless public or sports diplomacy tools to promote their countries abroad, and online platforms are not necessarily a key element in the promotion of their international image.</p>
</abstract>

Using the example of the 2019 inaugural UAE Tour, this study demonstrates how cycling stars indirectly promote countries hosting globally watched sporting events through their Twitter accounts. This study presents a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of the Twitter activity of selected cycling stars. However, this promotion is only a secondary result of their activity on social media; professional athletes use their Twitter accounts as a platform for self-presentation and to show their daily lives to fans. If the athletes are active on social media, it is almost impossible for them to avoid speaking about the host countries, indirectly evaluate them, and provide information about them to their followers. While sports celebrities’ social media profiles are a limited space for the promotion of host countries, they can also help improve the image of the countries and present them in a positive light. Of course, political leaders use countless public or sports diplomacy tools to promote their countries abroad, and online platforms are not necessarily a key element in the promotion of their international image.

The UAE Tour, cycling stars, and Twitter: Tweeting as part of promoting the host country

Department of Politics and International Relations, Faculty of Arts

Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Using the example of the 2019 inaugural UAE Tour, this study demonstrates how cycling stars indirectly promote countries hosting globally watched sporting...

The UAE Tour, cycling stars, and Twitter: Tweeting as part of promoting the host country

Publié en ligne: 13 sept. 2021

Pages: 59 - 71

Reçu: 22 oct. 2020

Accepté: 05 août 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pcssr-2021-0019

Mots clés
Sports diplomacy, UAE, cycling, Twitter

© 2021 Jiří Zákravský, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The UAE Tour, cycling stars, and Twitter: Tweeting as part of promoting the host country

Publié en ligne: 13 sept. 2021

Pages: 59 - 71

Reçu: 22 oct. 2020

Accepté: 05 août 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pcssr-2021-0019

Mots clésSports diplomacy, UAE, cycling, Twitter

© 2021 Jiří Zákravský, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
Sports diplomacy, UAE, cycling, Twitter