VOLUNTEERS OF SPORT MEGA-EVENTS IN RUSSIA AND INDIA

Abstract

The article is devoted to volunteers of major sporting events (sport mega-events) in Russia and India. The authors investigate the reasons that volunteers are guided by when deciding to participate in volunteering, their satisfaction from participating in the organization and holding of major sporting events, as well as their intentions to continue participating in volunteering practices in the future. In addition, the authors compare the motivation and future intentions of the Russian and Indian volunteers. The article also describes the reasons that, according to volunteers, hinder the development of volunteering in Russia and India. Volunteering during sport mega-events is becoming more and more common. The work done by volunteers allows not only to solve many organizational issues, create the necessary atmosphere, maintain security, but also shapes the image of the host, the necessary mood for participants and spectators. The relevance of the article lies in the necessity for constant improvement of volunteer programs to increase the number of volunteers and to further maintain their retention in volunteer activities. In addition, the implementation of volunteer programs for the organization and holding of sport mega-events can contribute to the formation of a positive legacy in the field of volunteering and to the development of the nonprofit sector. However, this requires obtaining detailed information about the volunteers of these events, their motivation and satisfaction. The empirical basis of the article is an online survey of volunteers of the European Football Championship and Indian volunteers of the Asian Boxing Championship. These events took place in Russia and India in 2021. The article presents both Russian and foreign experience in sports volunteering. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the comparative approach to the study of participants in volunteer programs of sport mega-events.