Impact of perceived threats, benefits, and athlete brand image on attitudes toward naturalized athletes in the context of China.

Introduction: China's implementation of athletic naturalization has sparked controversy, yet empirical studies on the factors influencing public attitudes toward naturalized athletes remain scarce. This study aims to address this gap by constructing a theoretical model based on social identity theory, examining the impact of various psychological variables on respondents' attitudes toward naturalized athletes in China's national teams.

Methods: Data were collected from 704 online respondents.