Аннотация:Objective of the study was to analyse the role of sports in the global context with an emphasis on their international cooperation promotion functions. The article considers the global sports in the context of their peacemaking, competitive and communicative functionalities and finds that they make a valuable contribution to the global sustainable development related interests in the following five aspects: people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership, i.e. facilitate the UN goals being attained in the sustainable development domain; contribute to the peacemaking efforts of Russia in many foreign policy matters including the peace and global security assurance; advance the international cooperation; ensure governance of law in defending athlete’s interests; secure high living standards; facilitate the human potential and human capital mobilisation and facilitation efforts; contribute to the Russian national interests and strategic national priorities being defended; strengthen the Russia’s global positions as one of the global leaders; and advance the Russian policies in the humanitarian domain including the initiatives to popularise the national culture and historical heritage.