Abstract
No, it was not. We do not find evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the distribution of medals in a systematic way. Countries that suffered a higher share of deaths due to the pandemic, or that imposed stricter lockdowns, performed just as prior performances and standard economic and demographic variables alone would have predicted. Hence, while COVID-19 has surely affected the performance of some individual athletes, it did not have a perceptible effect on the distribution of medals across countries. The only impact of the pandemic on the outcome of the Games was to reduce the advantage that host countries traditionally have. This effect, probably caused by the lack of local spectators in most competitions, was particularly strong for teams’ events, where the “host effect” vanished.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
