Public trust and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: assessing WHO, IOC, and TOCOG’s influence
Keywords:
Public Perception, Health Crisis, Event Management, Organizational Trust, Olympic MovementAbstract
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, faced unprecedented challenges in gaining public endorsement. This study examines how trust in three key organizations—the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG)—influenced public support for hosting the Games. Using a survey of 1,004 Japanese residents conducted between September and October 2021, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data. The findings reveal that trust in WHO played a crucial role, indirectly affecting the endorsement of the Games by bolstering trust in the IOC and TOCOG. This hierarchical relationship highlights WHO's influence on the credibility of other organizations involved in the Games. The proposed model, which best fits the data, suggests that the interconnected trust between these organizations is essential for securing public support during a global crisis. The study underscores the importance of effective communication and collaboration among international organizations in managing public perception and trust, particularly when hosting large-scale events during health crises. These insights contribute to understanding the dynamics of organizational trust in a pandemic context, offering valuable lessons for future events.
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