THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNITED STATES’ SPORTS DIPLOMACY IN ENHANCING THE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA THROUGH SPORTS ENVOY PROGRAM UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (2011-2016)

Abstract

The relations between United States and Russia has been considered as rigid relations. Knowing that, both presidents are taking a positive step by agreed to conduct the U.S. – Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission efforts which has a huge relation with the implementation of United States Sports Diplomacy under the President Barack Obama administration. Those efforts are a form of Soft Power, in which it is a power in order to influence other state through cultural influence, in this case is through the Sports Envoy Program as one of the programs from SportsUnited division from United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which have the strong relations with main missions of the U.S. – Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission efforts. This research uses qualitative methods, the data mainly from the official government report of United States and Russia, speeches, books, journals, official sites, and official news. This research is going to relate the sport diplomacy theory with the United States Sports Diplomacy efforts towards Russia through Sports Envoy Program. Thus, it is going to be the explanation of the actors involved and programs implementation from Sports Envoy Program towards Russia. Which concluded Sports Envoy Program as the instrument of United States’ Sports Diplomacy towards Russia.