Olimpianos - Journal of Olympic Studies

Olympic Games in check: correlations between the humanization of sports practices and the external consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic

Juliana Ferreira dos Santos — 2024-01-25

The history of the Modern Olympic Games is increasingly associated with economic power, characterized by entertainment, also bringing repercussions on its actors and events. In this sense, the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic resulting from the postponement of the 2020 edition in Tokyo, Japan are multiple; This led to a pause and, at the same time, a restructuring of the event and several adaptations for its participants. The general objective of this article is to investigate the editions of the Olympic Games of the Modern Era, based on the periodization for the Olympic Games, shedding light on the reasons for the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 edition. the discussion of some of the main historical and social aspects of the Olympic editions, as well as the editions that were cancelled, or that were boycotted, or that were recently postponed. It is proposed to understand, in this way, the relationships involved in an event on a global scale and their influence on the humanization of sporting practices in contexts of social instability. Among the results obtained, there was the stereotyping of the athlete as a hero, the distance between the essence of the games, the training of athletes and their high exposure, as well as the result of this scenario that permeates the contemporary sporting imagination of the hero.

Men's football at the Olympic Games: the change in the profile of the medalists from the age limitation at Barcelona Olympic Games -1992

Rovilson de Freitas — 2024-04-01

The most popular sport on the planet has always had questioned participation in the Olympic Games. In practically all sports, being in the Olympic Games represents the pinnacle for the sport and, obviously, for the athletes. After all, it's a great opportunity to introduce yourself to people who don't have access to that modality on a daily basis. That doesn't happen with football. In most countries, football is part of people's routine. In addition, football has its main competition: the FIFA World Cup. Even so, it was present in most editions. At first, in a very modest way, then with a wide domination of the countries of the European socialist bloc. However, from 1992 onwards, there was an important change in the profile of the medalists, precisely when the rule of the age of participation of the athletes was changed: only athletes up to 23 years old could compete in the Olympic Games. This change takes away the European protagonism and transfers most of the medals to countries in Latin America and Africa. This work aims to analyze the reasons for this new configuration of the medalists. It is hypothesized that countries with expressive results in grassroots competitions (under-17 and under-20) have more advantages in a competition that has this age limitation.

Running in nature as an important element of lifestyle medicine: motivations and environmental attitudes of modern runners and sports tourists

Maciej Mlodzik — 2024-04-29

The aim of the study is to identify the motivations and attitudes of participants of running events, taking place outside the city, and their socio-demographic profile. For this purpose, a face-to-face interview was conducted with 107 participants of the Warta Challenge running event held in the Wielkopolska Voivodeship. The results of the study revealed that mass running events, organized outside a large city, are most often attended by young and middle-aged men, from large cities, with higher education and professionally active. Participants of the Warta Challenge regularly take part in running events. It motivates them to participate in the marathon, improves the quality of their lives, not so much due to the sports results achieved, but due to contact with nature and with other people. Over 80% of respondents prefer running outside the city. They mostly appreciate lack of crowds at their running routes, surrounded by nature.

Exploring gender equity in Olympic and Paralympic governance: challenges and perspectives

Marie-Stéphanie Abouna — 2024-08-20

Gender balance remains a fundamental concern in the evolution of the Olympic movement. Major issues such as equitable participation of male and female athletes and parity within its leadership are at the forefront of discussions. Scholars have shown gender imbalance in sports governance, with men holding a disproportionate share of power compared to women. This study examines the composition of the governing bodies of national Olympic and Paralympic committees. It aims to understand how gender equality representation in national bodies is compounded by the traditions of the sport associated with men, maintaining the gender gap in leadership. The findings highlight persistent disparities in gender representation in the governance structures of Olympic and Paralympic committees, despite variations among countries. These differences underscore the varying gender equality standards among participating nations, necessitating targeted interventions to address underlying societal inequalities. This article seeks to enhance understanding of the multiple factors shaping gender equality in the Olympic domain by providing insight into the dynamics surrounding gender balance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The results of these analyses could inform future initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within the Olympic movement.