Identifying the Challenges of Elite Sports Talent Identification Olympiads in Iraq
Keywords:
Vulnerabilities of the Talent Search Olympiad, Weak Management System, Weak Communication, Inability to Attract CapitalAbstract
This study aims to comprehensively identify and analyze the major challenges affecting elite sports talent identification Olympiads in Iraq. A qualitative grounded theory approach was employed. Participants included sport administrators, elite coaches, federation experts and policymakers selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and document analysis and analyzed using open, axial and selective coding. Data analysis produced 57 indicators organized into nine major conceptual categories, including infrastructural weakness, managerial system deficiencies, limited practical knowledge, financial incapacity, communication gaps, inadequate education, social barriers, weak media performance and technological limitations. The findings indicate that Iraq’s talent identification challenges are deeply systemic and interconnected, requiring comprehensive governance reform, human resource development and infrastructure modernization.
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