When you think of an Olympic host, what comes to mind? Do you think or the controversy-ridden Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, with allegations of cost overruns, civil rights violations, and political infighting or the awe-inspiring majesty of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic opening and closing ceremonies?
Both Sochi and Rio de Janeiro spent billions in preparation for their respective Olympics, but their reception by the world could not have been more polarized.
Mention the words globalization and sports and you may think about the Olympics—an international event that brings together athletes from various nations to compete in sports. Many reasons may come to mind as to why globalization is analogous to the Olympics; however, consider the following excerpts:
- Globalization offers huge potential profits to companies and nations but has been complicated by widely differing expectations, standards of living, cultures and values, and legal systems, as well as unexpected global cause-and-effect linkages (Collins, 2015).
- The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play (Olympic.org, n.d.).
Imagine you are a member of the committee that will select the next host city for the Olympic Games. What are the economic, political, and cultural factors you would consider? What is the potential impact of a host city selection based on globalization efforts alone?
Collins, M. (2015, May 6). The pros and cons of globalization. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikecollins/2015/05/06/the-pros-and-cons-of-globalization/?sh=478bbca5ccce
Olympic movement. (n.d.). Olympic movement. https://olympics.com/ioc/olympic-movement
Post an explanation of whether you believe developing countries should be given the opportunity to host the Olympic Games. Then, explain why or why not.
In formulating your Discussion post, consider the following questions:
- How do economic, political, and cultural factors affect the selection of an Olympic Games host city? How can the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consider these factors when selecting a host city to ensure that the goal of the Olympic Movement is furthered?
- What is the impact of globalization on the Olympic Movement and the selection of Olympic Games host cities?
- Cities submit bids to host the Olympic Games under the auspices that doing so will drive economic growth. Given the high construction costs of hosting the Olympic Games, is such always the case? What has been the economic impact of hosting the Olympic Games for a recent host city?
