Nation Branding, Country Image, and the Scope of Sport-Tech Diplomacy: Lessons from the Case of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

This case study explores the scope of sport-tech diplomacy through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The study discusses the research question: How do the intersections between sports, technology and diplomacy manifest through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games? Tokyo 2020 was originally designed to help with Japan's recovery from the 2011 Earthquake, Tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster while celebrating Japanese traditions, and creative and innovative culture and technologies. The outbreak of COVID-19 that led to the postponement of the Olympics to 2021 and to Tokyo going in and out of states of emergency forced Japan to implement unprecedented restrictive guidelines and policies through innovative technologies to deliver the Games despite the challenges. The article is significant as it expands the literature on the newly used concept sport-tech diplomacy in the context of nation branding and country image, and offers lessons and recommendations for scholars and practitioners on sport-tech diplomacy.