This research aimed to identify barriers and provide strategies for institutionalizing good governance in the Iranian Athletics Federation. Employing a mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative), the qualitative phase involved a thematic analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews with experts, professors, and stakeholders in the Iranian Athletics Federation, leading to theoretical saturation. Five main challenges were identified: managerial incompetence, lack of transparency, limited stakeholder participation, technological issues, and organizational injustice. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population included all experts, athletes, and managers of the Iranian Athletics Federation. Using Cochran’s formula, 384 individuals were selected, and questionnaires were distributed. Ultimately, 211 completed questionnaires were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings revealed that all proposed strategies—managerial competence, transparency, stakeholder participation, technology, and organizational justice—had a significant impact on good governance (factor loadings > 0.7, p < 0.05). The Goodness of Fit Index (GOF = 0.481) confirmed the model’s strong fit. Key recommendations included: designing specialized training programs for managers and mandating professional certifications, implementing a blockchain-based transparency system for recording decisions and financial reporting, enhancing stakeholder participation through a strategic council involving athletes and coaches, digital transformation via startups and integrated systems, and establishing an independent sports ethics court to reduce discrimination and corruption. As one of the first applied studies in the governance of Iranian athletics, this research provides a localized framework that can serve as a basis for policymaking in other sports federations as well.