Developing a Model of Mass Media Functions for Controlling Corruption in Iranian Sport
Keywords:
mass media, corruption control, sport governance, transparency, Iranian sport, PLS-SEMAbstract
This study developed and empirically assessed a context-sensitive model explaining how mass media can contribute to controlling corruption in Iranian sport. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the qualitative phase, academic experts, sport managers, media professionals, and specialists in sport media and management with at least five years of relevant experience were selected purposively and interviewed until conceptual saturation. Twenty-two experts participated; complete demographic information was available for 17 participants. Interview data were analyzed through a grounded-theory-informed procedure using open, axial, and selective coding to construct a six-part paradigm model. In the quantitative phase, a researcher-developed five-point Likert questionnaire was reviewed by 10 sport and media specialists, and the reported measurement and structural outputs were examined using SPSS and SmartPLS. The qualitative findings identified six causal conditions, five contextual conditions, five intervening conditions, one central phenomenon, seven strategies, and six outcomes. All reported indicator loadings exceeded .40. Standardized loadings ranged from .430 to .899, with t values from 4.608 to 43.158. The structural model displayed t values from 6.675 to 27.681, supporting statistical significance of the specified paths. The findings indicate that media-based corruption control extends beyond disclosure and depends on journalist protection, access to information, ethical education, independent integrity institutions, systematic monitoring, competent sport management, and supportive governmental infrastructure. The model provides an applied framework for sport federations, clubs, public authorities, and media organizations seeking to strengthen transparency and accountability in Iranian sport.
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