How Green Will My (Lea) Valley Be? Olympic Aspirations: Rhetoric or Reality

Abstract

Much debate surrounds the nature and reality of the legacy left to host cities after they hold an Olympic or a Winter Olympic Games. We argue and provide evidence that the debate is more about sustainability. The sustainability of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as an organization and of the games that deliver the aspirations and goals of the Olympic movement are central issues in this debate. The IOC identifies its aspirations and goals in the Olympic Charter and within it the philosophy of Olympism. To realize these, the IOC must select a bid submitted by various city, country and national Olympic committee consortia to deliver the games. There are two separate issues here. First, that the host city must meet IOC demands contained in the OC and hosting contracts; that is, that the IOC's aspirations and numerous contractual stipulations are met and that sufficient revenues from operating the games are met. Second, the delivery of the games is to leave a ‘legacy’ (sustainable outcomes) from delivering the games. Two issues arise about whether host cities can do both – deliver a successful games, within the confines of the agreements, towards achieving IOC aspirations and goals and also deliver sustainable environmental, social and economic outcomes – thereby sustaining the IOC, the Olympic movement, Olympism and the lofty aspirations and goals of the Olympic Charter.