رسول نوروزی سید حسینی - Associate Professor in Sport Management, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Department, Humanities Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
محمد احسانی - Professor of Sport Management, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Department, Humanities Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
- - - Professor of Sport Management, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Department, Humanities Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
مجتبی امیری - Associate Professor, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Department, Faculty of Sport Management, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.

Purpose: This study aims to identify human capabilities, determine their developmental levels, and, finally, determine the role of human capabilities in the sustainable development of sports business.Methodology: It was conducted through a qualitative research method with a fundamental-exploratory nature. Research data were collected through snowball sampling based on in-depth interviews and focus groups composed of experts. Then, the data were coded and analyzed based on grounded theory via a constructivist approach. Findings: The results showed that human sports capabilities fall within the three categorical levels of fundamental, supportive, and operational capabilities. It was also revealed that individual, structural, and contextual transforming factors are needed to transform human capabilities in sport to desired functions. Moreover, the results indicated that the consequences of developing human capabilities in sports business include economic, cultural, security, health, educational, political, industrial, and moral ones. Overall, the development of human capabilities in sports can lead to sustainable development in the sports business.Originality: In this article, the role of human capabilities in the sustainable development of sports businesses with a qualitative method was investigated. This work aims to expand the existing knowledge about the role of human capabilities in development.

Human capabilities, qualitative method, Sport, Sports business, Sustainable Development, Transforming factors