IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i7p1318-d1684146.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial Justice and Accessibility: Optimizing Sports Facility Allocation in Tehran

Author

Listed:
  • Rohollah Asgari Gandomani

    (Department of Sports Coaching, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran 1439813117, Iran)

  • Amir Rahimi

    (Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran 1439813117, Iran)

  • Leila Shahbazpour

    (Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht 4199613116, Iran)

  • Jamal Jokar Arsanjani

    (Geoinformatics and Earth Observation Research Group, Department of Sustainability and Planning, Aalborg University Copenhagen, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, DK-2450 Copenhagen, Denmark)

Abstract

The optimal allocation of sport facilities is crucial for urban management, as it enhances public health and improves citizens’ quality of life. This study proposed a novel decision-making approach for optimizing the allocation of sports facilities in a megacity in which accessibility to sports facilities is a major challenge. To achieve this, 23 criteria in three categories of compatibility, environmental, and infrastructural criteria were analyzed. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method determined the criterion weights, while the weighted linear combination (WLC) method integrated them. The results showed that the current spatial distribution of sports facilities in Tehran follows a clustered pattern, and the compatibility criterion, with a weight of 0.45, has the greatest impact on the sports facility location selection process. A spatial analysis identified 48.58 km 2 as being highly suitable for facility development, mainly in central and southern Tehran. These findings can assist urban managers and planners in improving spatial justice, increasing accessibility to sports facilities, and promoting sustainable urban development.

Suggested Citation

  • Rohollah Asgari Gandomani & Amir Rahimi & Leila Shahbazpour & Jamal Jokar Arsanjani, 2025. "Spatial Justice and Accessibility: Optimizing Sports Facility Allocation in Tehran," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-26, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:7:p:1318-:d:1684146
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1318/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1318/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas L. Saaty, 1986. "Axiomatic Foundation of the Analytic Hierarchy Process," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(7), pages 841-855, July.
    2. Rafał Blazy & Rita Łabuz, 2022. "Spatial Distribution and Land Development Parameters of Shopping Centers Based on GIS Analysis: A Case Study on Kraków, Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Wei Wang & Zihao Zhou & Jun Chen & Wen Cheng & Jian Chen, 2021. "Analysis of Location Selection of Public Service Facilities Based on Urban Land Accessibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Feng Sun & Jinhe Zhang & Jingxuan Ma & Chang Wang & Senlin Hu & Dong Xu, 2021. "Evolution of the Spatial-Temporal Pattern and Social Performance Evaluation of Community Sports and Fitness Venues in Shanghai," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Giles-Corti, Billie & Donovan, Robert J., 2002. "The relative influence of individual, social and physical environment determinants of physical activity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(12), pages 1793-1812, June.
    6. Firozjaei, Mohammad Karimi & Nematollahi, Omid & Mijani, Naeim & Shorabeh, Saman Nadizadeh & Firozjaei, Hamzeh Karimi & Toomanian, Ara, 2019. "An integrated GIS-based Ordered Weighted Averaging analysis for solar energy evaluation in Iran: Current conditions and future planning," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 1130-1146.
    7. Davoud Shahpari Sani & Mohammad Taghi Heidari & Hossein Tahmasebi Mogaddam & Saman Nadizadeh Shorabeh & Saman Yousefvand & Anahita Karmpour & Jamal Jokar Arsanjani, 2022. "An Assessment of Social Resilience against Natural Hazards through Multi-Criteria Decision Making in Geographical Setting: A Case Study of Sarpol-e Zahab, Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    8. Fatemeh Salarvandian & Seyed Ali Hosseini & Aram Moradi & Mehdi Karoubi, 2020. "Assessing the spatial distribution of sports spaces within walking distance in Tehran," International Journal of Urban Sciences, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 557-577, October.
    9. Tsung-Yu Chou, 2024. "A Hybrid MCDM Approach to Sports Center Site Selection in a Sustainable Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-19, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elvan Ender Altay & Diba Şenay & Zeynep Eyüpoğlu, 2021. "Outdoor Indicators for the Healthy Development of Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(6), pages 2517-2545, December.
    2. Shorabeh, Saman Nadizadeh & Firozjaei, Mohammad Karimi & Nematollahi, Omid & Firozjaei, Hamzeh Karimi & Jelokhani-Niaraki, Mohammadreza, 2019. "A risk-based multi-criteria spatial decision analysis for solar power plant site selection in different climates: A case study in Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 958-973.
    3. Davoud Shahpari Sani & Mohammad Taghi Heidari & Hossein Tahmasebi Mogaddam & Saman Nadizadeh Shorabeh & Saman Yousefvand & Anahita Karmpour & Jamal Jokar Arsanjani, 2022. "An Assessment of Social Resilience against Natural Hazards through Multi-Criteria Decision Making in Geographical Setting: A Case Study of Sarpol-e Zahab, Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    4. Mohammad Ebrahimi Sirizi & Esmaeil Taghavi Zirvani & Abdulsalam Esmailzadeh & Jafar Khosravian & Reyhaneh Ahmadi & Naeim Mijani & Reyhaneh Soltannia & Jamal Jokar Arsanjani, 2023. "A Scenario-Based Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach for Allocation of Pistachio Processing Facilities: A Case Study of Zarand, Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Reza Banai, 2010. "Evaluation of land use-transportation systems with the Analytic Network Process," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 3(1), pages 85-112.
    6. Guh, Yuh-Yuan, 1997. "Introduction to a new weighting method -- Hierarchy consistency analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 215-226, October.
    7. Xiaoxia Li, 2022. "Research on the Development Level of Rural E-Commerce in China Based on Analytic Hierarchy and Systematic Clustering Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Jonmenjoy Barman & Somenath Halder & Jayanta Das & Syed Sadath Ali & Fahdah Falah Ben Hasher & Rukhsana & Mohamed Zhran, 2024. "Sustainable Ecotourism Suitability Assessment Using the Intergraded TOPSIS Model in the State of Mizoram, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-31, December.
    9. Danijela Tuljak-Suban & Patricija Bajec, 2022. "A Hybrid DEA Approach for the Upgrade of an Existing Bike-Sharing System with Electric Bikes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-23, October.
    10. Martínez-Martínez, Yenisleidy & Dewulf, Jo & Casas-Ledón, Yannay, 2022. "GIS-based site suitability analysis and ecosystem services approach for supporting renewable energy development in south-central Chile," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 363-376.
    11. Xiaowen Wu & Xinru Li, 2025. "Multi-Source Data-Driven Quality Assessment of Waterfront Public Spaces in Urban Contexts," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-24, January.
    12. Bhatta, Arun & Bigsby, Hugh R. & Cullen, Ross, 2011. "Alternative to Comprehensive Ecosystem Services Markets: The Contribution of Forest-Related Programs in New Zealand," 2011 Conference, August 25-26, 2011, Nelson, New Zealand 115350, New Zealand Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    13. Li-zhu Yue & Jia-wei Zhang & Yue Lv, 2024. "Pyramid-Shaped Indicators: Evaluating the Robustness of Scheme Comparisons Under Weight Uncertainty," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 174(2), pages 631-656, September.
    14. Hoene, Andreas & Jawale, Mandar & Neukirchen, Thomas & Bednorz, Nicole & Schulz, Holger & Hauser, Simon, 2019. "Bewertung von Technologielösungen für Automatisierung und Ergonomieunterstützung der Intralogistik," ild Schriftenreihe 64, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management, Institut für Logistik- & Dienstleistungsmanagement (ild).
    15. Wenshuai Wu & Gang Kou, 2016. "A group consensus model for evaluating real estate investment alternatives," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 2(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Stafford, Mai & Cummins, Steven & Ellaway, Anne & Sacker, Amanda & Wiggins, Richard D. & Macintyre, Sally, 2007. "Pathways to obesity: Identifying local, modifiable determinants of physical activity and diet," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(9), pages 1882-1897, November.
    17. Ya-Qiang Xu & Le-Sheng Jin & Zhen-Song Chen & Ronald R. Yager & Jana Špirková & Martin Kalina & Surajit Borkotokey, 2022. "Weight Vector Generation in Multi-Criteria Decision-Making with Basic Uncertain Information," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-11, February.
    18. Stephanie A. Prince & Elizabeth A. Kristjansson & Katherine Russell & Jean-Michel Billette & Michael Sawada & Amira Ali & Mark S. Tremblay & Denis Prud’homme, 2011. "A Multilevel Analysis of Neighbourhood Built and Social Environments and Adult Self-Reported Physical Activity and Body Mass Index in Ottawa, Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-26, October.
    19. McDonald, Noreen C., 2005. "Children’s Travel: Patterns and Influences," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt51c9m01c, University of California Transportation Center.
    20. Hsin-Chieh Wu & Toly Chen & Chin-Hau Huang, 2020. "A Piecewise Linear FGM Approach for Efficient and Accurate FAHP Analysis: Smart Backpack Design as an Example," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-18, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:7:p:1318-:d:1684146. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.