Sport as a strategy for sustainable local development: The experience of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sport, as a complex and polysemic concept, offers an arena from which to explore socio-physical relationships, traversed by political dynamics that are structured between local and global in a given context. The international community has early recognized sport as a means to achieve peaceful coexistence and promote healthy lifestyles. Modern mega sporting events, in particular, often express the policy orientations of a social conjuncture, in dialog with the realities imposed by globalization. At the same time, mega sporting events help to establish positive discursive links at a global level, achieving consensus on key political issues. In this sense, the United Nations works to promote – among the Member States – sports initiatives that allow synergy with the goals proposed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, paying special attention to the contributions of sports practices in what they have to do with: alleviation of poverty, improvement on universal education, achievement of gender equality, prevention of diseases, commitment to environmental sustainability, guarantee of peace, and achievement of peaceful resolution of conflicts. Taking the above into account, this article aims to offer the reader a theoretical reflection that immerses itself in the potential of sport as a catalyst for sustainable local development and peace. In order to accomplish that, the unique experience of the City of Buenos Aires (Argentina) as host of the Youth Olympic Games during 2018 will be reviewed, selecting those issues that would allow recognizing this edition of the youth games as an initiative for local development and for the promotion of values in pursuit of sustainability.