1. Socio-Cultural Issues Affecting Performance
Sport in Society
Global Sporting Events

2. All: Describe the major events affecting the Modern Olympic Games
Learning Objectives
Learning Objective:
Understand the effects of global sporting events on the host country (sporting, social, economic and political)
Learning Outcomes:
All: Describe the major events affecting the Modern Olympic Games
Most: Explain how hosting global sporting events affects the host country in regards to sports, social , economic and political factors
Some: Evaluate the impact of hosting a global sporting event on a host country

3. Key Terms Modern Olympic Games Sports Social factors Economic factors
Political factors
Berlin ‘36 – Third Reich Ideology
Mexico City ’68 – ‘Black Power’ demonstration
Munich ‘72 – Palestinian terrorism
Moscow ‘80 – Boycott
Los Angeles ‘84 – ‘Hamburger Games’

4. Modern Olympic Games
"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

5. Modern Olympic Games
The Olympic flag has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red. This design is symbolic; it represents the five continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colours are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time.
— Pierre de Coubertin (1931)

6. Aims of the Olympic Games
To promote the development of those physical and moral qualities are the basis of sport.
To spread the Olympic principles throughout the World, thereby creating international goodwill.
To bring together athletes of the world in the great four-yearly sports festival
To educate young people through sport in a spirit of better understanding between each other, and of friendship, thereby helping to build a better and more peaceful world.

7. Olympic Values Encourage effort – striving for excellence
‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’
Preserve human dignity – demonstrating respect
Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit friendship, solidarity and fair play.
Develop harmony – celebrating friendship
Sport has a role in the development of human harmony

8. Olympic Values Perseverance to succeed despite obstacles or barriers.
Role models to inspire the next generation to participate in sport.
All Nations have equal opportunities to enter competitors in a spirit of inclusivity.
Making personal sacrifice to achieve sporting goals. E.g. pushing to finish a long-distance event even though you are well out of medal contention. Putting your own needs aside to help others. Knowing when to give up.
For all countries, cultures, individuals, competitors.
Achieve to the best of your ability to realise your potential and strive towards excellence
Bringing the nations of the World together through sport and creating team spirit.

9. Berlin 1936 – Third Reich Ideology
Used by Hitler as a stage for political propaganda for the Third Reich – an ideology that viewed Germany as a superior empire.
Hitler wanted to show that the German Olympic team would win medals across the board to show the supremacy of his ‘master race’
German team trained full-time – stretching the ideals of Olympics being an amateur competition
Jesse Owens – African American beat Ayrian Lutz Lang in long jump, broke 11 Olympic records and won 4 Golds in 100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100m relay.
Hitler refused to place medal around Owens’ neck
‘The Americans should be ashamed of themselves, letting Negroes win their medals for them. I shall not shake hands with this Negro…. Do you really think that I will allow myself to be photographed shaking hands with a Negro?’

10. Mexico City 1968 – ‘Black Power’ demonstration
- story behind the black power demonstration
– Australian 3rd man
South Africa’s invitation to the Games was withdrawn because of other countries threatening to boycott the Games because of South Africa’s apartheid regime.
African-Americans protested to the World when two black athletes used a medal ceremony for the 200m to protest about the lack of civil rights in the USA as they lacked equality, were segregated and many lived in extreme poverty. They wore a black glove on one hand they held up in the air and black socks with no shoes. A gesture called the ‘black power salute’
Both athletes were told to leave the games as they had brought politics into the Olympics which were supposed to be devoid of politics.

11. Munich 1972 - Palestinian terrorism
A day before the Games began, 8 Palestinian terrorists (known as the Black September group) entered the Olympic village and seized 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team.
The terrorists made a political request to release 234 Palestinians that were being imprisoned in Israel.
German authorities attempted to rescue the hostages but this failed and all hostages and 5 of the terrorists were killed.

12. Moscow 1980 – boycott led by the USA
In December 1979 Soviet Union (Russia) forces invaded Afghanistan, which created a conflict that would last 10 years and extended the cold war.
Britain’s prime minister Margaret Thatcher stated ‘One way to bring home to the Russian people the enormity of what has happened… is to boycott the Olympic Games’.
US president Jimmy Carter stated that the United States would boycott the Moscow summer Olympic Games if Soviet troops did not withdraw within one month.
This sparked debates about the relationship between sport and politics.
Some thought politics has nothing to do with sport
Some thought sport could help build bridges between nations
Some viewed sport as inextricably linked to politics and that sports participants had a duty to stand up for freedom and fairness and therefore should boycott events with countries that did not share the same values.
Some British teams chose to attend, the British hockey, fencing and equestrian team boycotted.
Only 6,000 athletes competed in the games compared to the 10,000 expected

13. Los Angeles 1984 – boycott by the Soviet Union
After the terrorist attack in 1972 and financial disaster of 1976 in Montreal, only Los Angeles in the USA bid for the right to host the 1984 Olympic Games
12 weeks before the opening ceremony the Soviet Union announced they would be boycotting the Games along with East Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Cuba, with 14 Nations refusing to take part.
The Soviet Union blamed commercialisation of the Games (known as the Hamburger Games), a lack of security measures and accused the US of using the Games for political purposes.
Most people saw it as a ‘tit for tat’ response to the USA boycotting the Moscow Olympics.

14. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Sporting Impacts
Positives
Raises the profile of the sport
Which can lead to more people participating and watching
E.g. more people cycling since 2012
New / upgraded sporting venues, leaves a legacy of sports facilities
E.g. Sir Chris Hoy velodrome built for Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014
An event can focus on minority sports, inspiring more people to take up or try a new sport
E.g. Boccia and Wheelchair rugby following 2012 Paralympics
Increased funding for sports involved
E.g Rugby World cup increased lottery funding for new facilities
Increased sponsorship and commercial income for individuals as well as governing bodies for each sport involved.

15. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Sporting Impacts
Negatives
The increased participation is short lived after the events are over.
1.4million more people playing sport in England since 2005, however trend is a
gradual decline in those playing regularly
Facilities used in event can end up not being used in future – can just become a tourist destination
Lesser known non-global sports can suffer. If more money goes to sports involved, less money is available for other sports
Sport deviance is more likely to be highlighted via media
e.g. football hooliganism at the 2014 Brazil World cup

16. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Social Impacts
Positives
More money in the city / country – can be used for local population and to support public services.
National Pride – increase sense of well-being and help with ‘nation-building’.
Improved use of sports facilities by local communities.
Improved transport systems
Accommodation and other facilities built for the event can be used by the community
- e.g. Olympic village in London is now used for housing

17. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Social Impacts
Negatives
Some areas of the country may not get the same facility benefits as the host city
- e.g. Rio Olympics – facilities only in Rio de Janeiro
Some areas of host country do not benefit from improvements in infrastructure and transport systems.
Local inhabitants may have to vacate land being used for sports venues
e.g. some people were re-housed for London Olympics

18. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Economic Impacts
Positives
Increased income to country – through participants and spectators
More jobs created through building of facilities, transport infrastructure and support jobs for the event.
e.g. Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games resulted in approx
1,000 support jobs and brought £52 million into the Scottish
economy
Increase in tourism
e.g. London 2012 extra tourism expenditure was approx £2 billion
Commercial benefits related to goods sold in the area and sale of event-related goods.

19. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Economic Impacts
Negatives
Bidding to host a global sports event can be expensive
e.g. a failed bid for England to host 2018 Football World cup cost
the FA approx £21 million
The event can cost the hosts more than it raises in revenue
e.g. Montreal 1976 Olympics left a debt of over $2 billion, which
took 30 years to pay off
Benefits to employment and longer term jobs are often exaggerated and many jobs are only temporary during the event.
If events of participants are linked to failure or dysfunctional behaviour then sponsors and other sources of funding can be affected.
e.g. following England’s failure in 2015 Rugby World cup, revenue from merchandising and advertising fell below expected

20. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Political Impacts
Positives
Individuals, political parties and their leaders can gain credit and more votes if a country succeeds in their bid to host a global sporting event.
If the event leads to success for host country it can reflect well on politicians and the ruling political party
Staging a global event can bring unity to a country and a sense of purpose – brings political parties together.
The country or city can use the event as a ‘show window’ for their culture, commerce and therefore raise the country’s status in the eyes of the World. - Used to raise status of country and attract more investment and trade

21. Hosting Global Sporting Events
Political Impacts
Positives
If the cost of the event is too high or goes over budget it can be a political disadvantage – lose votes and decrease government economic resources
If something goes wrong e.g. a terrorist attack, it can be politically dangerous as they have to accept responsibility for poor security
If host nation does poorly in the sports event and perceived as failing it can reflect badly on the ruling political party
e.g. Hitler looked bad when Jesse Owens won 4 Gold medals
Negative environmental impacts can result in a decrease in popularity with ruling politicians – e.g. increase in litter or traffic congestion
If the legacy of event is negative it can be politically damaging – can lead to dissatisfaction with the use of public money
Protests by athletes and spectators can be embarrassing for a country’s ruling political party
e.g. Black Power demonstration in 1968 Mexico Olympics