Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to live in social isolation and has brought an important element of social life, the events industry, to a complete standstill. In resurrecting the events industry, the most urgent focus is on managing the risk of any crowd-control measures with a view to reducing to zero the danger of the virus spreading. This research focuses on the main issue of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the organization of sports events (SEs), and in particular, cycling competitions. This study, therefore, aims to provide deeper insights into (a) the measures introduced to face the health emergency situation in cycling events, (b) the comparison of these measures with previous experiences in similar SE contexts, and (c) the possible evolution of organizational models for cycling events in the post-pandemic era. Fifteen semi-structured interviews with cycling athletes, managers, and officials constitute the methodological basis for this study. The results show that countermeasures have been taken that are effective in dealing with pandemic characteristics and are likely to be applied in the future, while others will be phased out or used again only when necessary. This study enhances scientific knowledge by analyzing a renewed approach to risk management for SEs, with a specific focus on pandemics and medical risks. Finally, the study shows that cycling events need to adapt the specifics of such a new approach to the standards projected on future scenarios for which the COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way.

Highlights

  • The biennium 2020–2021 will be remembered as a period that marked history, and as a watershed moment for all humanity

  • By means of qualitative semi-structured interviews, we aimed to address the following research questions: (a) What measures have been introduced to tackle the health emergency situation at cycling events? (b) How do the new measures differ from previous experiences in similar sports events (SEs) contexts? and (c) What is the possible evolution of organizational models for cycling events in the post-pandemic era?

  • In an effort to find answers to the three research questions—(1) What measures have been introduced to address the health emergency situation at cycling events? (2) How do the new measures differ from previous experiences in similar SE contexts? and (3) What is the possible evolution of organizational models for cycling events in the post-pandemic era?—fifteen experts in the field of cycling events participated in guided semi-structured interviews in person

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Summary

Introduction

The biennium 2020–2021 will be remembered as a period that marked history, and as a watershed moment for all humanity. The coronavirus pandemic 2019 (COVID-19), the first in recent history, has subjected the world to a transversal shock affecting all aspects of human actions and forcing humanity to fundamentally rethink or eliminate previous behavioral patterns and models (Westmattelmann et al 2020). The new coronavirus has paralyzed the entire world of sport, causing a complete global halt to sports competitions at all levels, including the XXXII summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, which represent the maximum expression of sport and its values (Patsantaras 2008). This case, as well as other major mass events, including cycling events, have been hit hard by this sudden wave.

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