Sport Sciences Research Institute Sport Management Studies 2538-3213 8 40 2017 01 20 Identification of Factors and Criteria of Cultural Development in Athletic Sport Identification of Factors and Criteria of Cultural Development in Athletic Sport 61 78 905 10.22089/smrj.2017.905 FA Rahim Ramezani Nezad Professor of Sport Management, University of Guilan Mohammad Mehdi Rahmati Associate Professor of Social Sciences, University of Guilan 0000-0002-3289-848X Seyed Jalil Miryousefi Assistant Professor of Sport Management, University of Vali-Asre Rafsanjan Seyed Ahmad Nejad Sajadi Assistant Professor of Sport Management, University of Vali-Asre Rafsanjan Journal Article 2015 08 02 Identification of factors and criterion that facilitate the process of cultural development in athletic sport is necessary. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify cultural development factors contributing to athletic sport. The method of the research was a mixed-method research. During the second stage, 143 experts and researchers participated in research. For data analysis, factor analysis with orthogonal rotation was used. Based on research findings, five factors were identified to be contributing to cultural development of athletic sport. These are, in order of importance, as follows: development of political culture, strengthening national-religious identity, development of economic culture, development of social culture, and development of education and technology. Also, based on factor analysis, of the three criteria of political culture factor, the criterion of meritocracy; of the four criteria of strengthening national-religious identity factor, the criterion of moral health; of the three criteria for the development of economic culture factor, the economic ethics criterion; of the four criteria for development of social culture factor, the criterion of social capital; and finally, of the five criteria for the development of education and information technology, the criterion of education and research enjoyed the highest priorities. Therefore, the development of political culture and the strengthening of national-religious identity is the first step towards the cultural development of sports, especially in athletic sport. Identification of factors and criterion that facilitate the process of cultural development in athletic sport is necessary. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify cultural development factors contributing to athletic sport. The method of the research was a mixed-method research. During the second stage, 143 experts and researchers participated in research. For data analysis, factor analysis with orthogonal rotation was used. Based on research findings, five factors were identified to be contributing to cultural development of athletic sport. These are, in order of importance, as follows: development of political culture, strengthening national-religious identity, development of economic culture, development of social culture, and development of education and technology. Also, based on factor analysis, of the three criteria of political culture factor, the criterion of meritocracy; of the four criteria of strengthening national-religious identity factor, the criterion of moral health; of the three criteria for the development of economic culture factor, the economic ethics criterion; of the four criteria for development of social culture factor, the criterion of social capital; and finally, of the five criteria for the development of education and information technology, the criterion of education and research enjoyed the highest priorities. Therefore, the development of political culture and the strengthening of national-religious identity is the first step towards the cultural development of sports, especially in athletic sport. https://smrj.ssrc.ac.ir/article_905_f57a2f557b098c43f11ab969efe1504b.pdf