Investigating Legal Issues and Financial Crimes in Iran’s Sports Industry

Abstract

This study analyzes the legal issues and financial crimes in Iran's sports industry in terms of their applied nature and data collected by field method. Using snowball sampling, in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 legal experts. The findings indicate that economic crimes in Iran's professional sports have created problems for clubs, teams and athletes. The final research model encompasses seven different levels. The analysis of the influence power of these factors shows that situational prevention criteria operate independently but have low effectiveness and efficiency. In contrast, social prevention, legal contracts, and economic factors are influenced by other elements and are identified as effective and dependent components from a systemic perspective. Criteria related to establishing a legal framework, intellectual property law, and supervision and inspection fall into the cluster linkage category, meaning they significantly impact other criteria but are less dependent on other factors. The results suggest that establishing a legal framework can improve all indicators. Specifically, drafting comprehensive and effective legal frameworks can play a crucial role in reducing economic crimes in the sports industry. These frameworks can serve as a foundation for preventing and managing financial crimes in Iran's professional sports, enhancing the efficiency and financial integrity of the industry.