Global Sporting Events Research Articles

Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Traditional Sports: A Case Study of the Asian Games and Future Directions for Modernization

Abstract: This paper explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into traditional sports, addressing a critical gap in existing research through a qualitative case study of the Asian Games. AI's application in modern sports has demonstrated its potential to enhance event management, athlete preparation, and scoring fairness. However, its adoption in traditional sports, such as Wushu and Chinese wrestling, remains limited. This study examines the challenges and opportunities associated with applying AI to traditional sports, offering development strategies to modernize these disciplines. By analyzing the impact of AI in modern competitive sports, the research proposes specific recommendations for integrating AI into traditional sports, aiming to preserve their cultural heritage while advancing their global relevance. Limitations include the focus on a single event and the exclusion of the most recent AI developments. Future research should consider a broader range of global sporting events and incorporate the latest advancements in AI technology. This study provides a theoretical and practical foundation for the application of AI in traditional sports, with implications for future technological innovation and the evolution of the sports industry.

The Enhanced Games: a timely injection for the International Olympic Committee.

The Enhanced Games, a privately funded sporting megaevent aspiring to rival the Olympic Games, have garnered significant media attention since its public inception in 2023. This attention has primarily been driven by the Enhanced Games' embrace of performance-enhancing drugs. Lost in the public fixation on the event's green-lit drug-use, however, is the fact that the Enhanced Games distance themselves from current Olympic standards in numerous ways beyond drug-policies alone. More precisely, the Enhanced Games promote themselves as a more economically and ecologically sustainable alternative to the Olympics, as well as a megaevent that aims to put athletes and their safety front-and-center. With an eye towards current Olympic standards, we suggest that closer examination of the Enhanced Games offers novel perspectives on the future of the Olympics and global sporting events more broadly.

EMD-based ultraviolet radiation prediction for sport events recommendation with environmental constraint

With the rising awareness of health and wellness, accurate ultraviolet (UV) radiation forecasts have become crucial for planning and conducting outdoor activities safely, particularly in the context of global sporting events arrangement and recommendation with definite constraint on environmental conditions. The dynamic nature of UV exposure, influenced by factors such as solar zenith angles, cloud cover, and atmospheric conditions, makes accurate UV radiation data forecasting difficult and challenging. To cope with these challenges, we present an innovative approach for predicting the UV radiation levels of a certain region during a certain time period using Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), a robust method for analyzing non-linear and non-stationary data. Our model is specifically designed for urban areas, where outdoor events are common, and integrates meteorological data with historical UV radiation records from specific geographic regions and time periods. The EMD-based model offers precise predictions of UV levels, essential for event organizers and city planners to make informed decisions regarding the scheduling, relocation and recommendation of events to minimize health risks associated with UV exposure. At last, the effectiveness of this model is validated through various experiments across different spatial and temporal contexts based on the Urban-Air dataset (recording 2,891,393 Air Quality Index data that cover four major Chinese cities), demonstrating its adaptability and accuracy under diverse environmental conditions.

O habitus político e as políticas públicas de esporte do Estado do Espírito Santo – Brasil

The political interest of public actors in public sports policies in Brazil is recent and gained prominence mainly due to the main global sporting events hosted in the country, such as the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. State of Espírito Santo, the development of the Esporte Pela Paz Project stood out as a strategy to combat violence against children and adolescents, highlighting sport as a transformative instrument for the exercise of citizenship, quality of life and social inclusion. In this sense, the objective of this research was to investigate the political habitus of the State of Espírito Santo in the years 2011 to 2014, namely in the adjustment of the field of policies of the Department of Sport and Leisure. Specifically, we sought to verify how and to what extent the political habitus of political agents interfered in the Esporte Pela Paz Project. To do so, we used qualitatively different sources of data collection, namely: semi-structured interviews and analysis of official documents. The research covered, in its entirety, the universe of former managers and ex-expense coordinators of the Municipal and State Secretariats who were responsible for executing the Project in the years 2011 to 2014. The interpretation of the collected material was carried out according to the technique of Content Analysis based on the categories that were defined a priori. It was concluded that a habitus prevailed among public actors that guided the standards of a certain course of their actions and that interfered in the adjustment of the field of policies of the Secretariat of Sports and Leisure, namely through the Sport for Peace Project. It was also found that a cycle that could be virtuous became vicious, due to the failure to consider limits to hegemony and the maintenance of power.

Victory for Africa or the Arab world? Moroccan nationalism, Arab exceptionalism, pan-African solidarity and digital fandom during the 2022 FIFA World Cup

ABSTRACT Football serves as a fetish for war, replaying past conflicts and sometimes setting off new ones. Deploying social identities theory and dramaturgy theory, we follow up on this assertion to explore how the historic 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final qualification by Morocco’s senior men football team exposed historical and contemporary conflicts framing Morocco today. Celebrating greatness, Moroccan winger Sofiane Boufal dedicated the victory to Moroccans, Arab and Muslim people. The disavowal of sub-Saharan Africa and the negation of pan-African solidarity triggered social media debates which spilled into quotidian lives of Africans. Critical discourse analysis was employed to analyse purposively sampled conversations on X (formerly Twitter), relating to Boufal’s remarks. We demonstrate how Morocco’s success [re]ignited identity wars and brought into stark relief attendant ontological, philosophical and metaphysical dynamics. We advance scholarly discourses about consumption of mega global sporting events and their symbiosis with politics of belonging in the global South.

Leveraging Major Sport Events’ Success Towards Positioning Qatar as a Sport Tourism Destination

Through substantial investments in the sports sector, Qatar has solidified its position as a prominent global sport events destination. Notably recognised for hosting the monumental 2006 Asian Games, this marked the inception of Qatar's evolution into a hub for sport tourism. Since then, Qatar has successfully hosted several large-scale international sporting events, culminating in the historic hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This trajectory continues with Qatar securing bids for forthcoming events such as the 2027 FIBA Basketball Cup and the 2030 Asian Games. Despite earlier unsuccessful bids for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 and 2020, Qatar remains committed to upholding its exceptional hosting legacy. This study seeks to discern the critical dimensions contributing to successful hosting and their broader impact on the host country. Drawing insights from a critical review of past events, including comparative analyses with FIFA World Cups from 2022, 2018, and 2014, this research aims to identify common key indicators and their influence on local communities. By discerning these elements, the study endeavours to craft a roadmap for hosting major sporting events, addressing challenges, and leveraging supporting factors. The outcomes will offer prospective agendas and recommendations intended to bolster Qatar's strategic positioning as a competitive international sport tourism destination. For aspiring nations like Qatar, these large-scale sporting events serve as catalysts for sustainable impacts that transcend the event itself.

Rai, public service media, and sport

The article examines the current challenges and opportunities facing the Italian public broadcaster Rai in relation to global sporting events in the digital scenario. Adopting a sys- temic perspective, the study explores the tensions among the increasing commercialisation/ political disenchantment of major sporting events, and the public remits of Rai to secure them within the current EU regulation on sport rights and in terms of public service media. An historical overview of Rai’s linkage with sports is provided to contextualise the discussion of the online TV service RaiPlay and its current strategy for both on-demand sports content and the live coverage of recent global sporting events, such as Tokyo 2020 and Qatar 2022. The article concludes by emphasising the potential for Rai to enable new forms of engage- ment, while also urging a careful consideration of the traditional remits and values of public service in the face of evolving media landscapes.

Benefit Analysis and Experience Enlightenment of Qatar World Cup

The application for hosting global large-scale sports events such as the World Cup requires a comprehensive evaluation of the country's economic situation. Otherwise, it may seem profitable to obtain high profits, but in reality, the multiplier effect is limited and the return rate is not high. Taking the 2022 Qatar World Cup as an example, we analyze the multiple benefits it generates and provide reference experiences for China to host large scale sports events.

Poster 396: Barriers and facilitators to national licensure for US medical professionals: what Covid has taught us and using sports medicine as a launch pad

Objectives: GLOBAL AIM: Increase license portability across state lines for all US medical professionals. SPECIFIC AIM: Increase the ability to provide medical care nationwide for all US sports medicine physicians (who have a CAQ for their specialty) across state lines and set a precedent for other licensed healthcare professionals by 2026. The aim is to extend the portability of medical licensure across state lines to all sports medicine professionals (not just those who care for professional teams) and use this as a precedent eventually for all types of healthcare workers. Currently sports medicine physicians for professional teams are allowed to provide care across state lines which is legislated by “The Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act” (SMLCA) in 2018. As July 22, 2022, licensure is allowed for at least telemedicine across state lines for 23 states and has been extended by the HHS as part of Covid healthcare measures that were implemented in 2020. Methods: Review of current policies, barriers and facilitators has been performed using various search strategies and qualitative techniques. Current state and national laws were reviewed and will be presented. California has a large population where there is no reciprocity for other medical professionals, therefore meetings have been set with the Business Professions Committee with a plan to submit a bill sponsored by a state assemblyman to expand access to licensure across state lines in 2023. Results: One barrier is the loss of states’ autonomy as well as the individual authority and stature a medical professional may gain from being on a licensing board. Most US states have no reciprocity and not all have the licensure process standardized. Some states have a non-transparent process and others do not wish to participate in regional compacts such as California. Even more concerning, some states are found to more-likely censure doctors of color and perform sham peer review. This is an example of bias in medical credentialing that can impede diversity and inclusion efforts. The European Union allows medical licensure across national borders. Doctors need to pass a language proficiency test for the country they wish to practice in, regardless of which European country they received their medical training. Given that English is the only language of instruction in the US, proficiency can be easily evaluated. Language should not be a barrier to license portability, especially if one is already licensed in one US state even for foreign medical graduates. The Covid pandemic showed licensure is obtainable in a relatively rapid fashion across state lines. In addition, federal health care facilities such as the VA system already allow practitioners licensed in one state to practice in another without a license to that specific state. Portability across state-lines aids practitioners who practice on state borders in both rural and urban areas, such as the NH and VT border(rural), and NY and DC metro areas (urban) as well as telehealth for both an immobile and mobile populations, enhancing equitable healthcare access. This also removes financial barriers of cost for licensing fees for practitioners and staff resources to process licenses. Conclusions: The US has one of the most restrictive medical licensures of all developed countries, making mobilization of healthcare workers extremely difficult. Removing this barrier will be beneficial when medical staff is needed across state lines for pandemics, natural disasters, intake of refugees/immigrants, and global sporting events held in the US such as the World Cup in 2026, and Olympics in 2028. This could also extend access for the general US population to healthcare providers via “tele-medicine” (virtual/video visits), to essentially all populations (socio-economically disadvantaged, immigrants, those with mobility and transportation barriers, rural locations etc). This will ensure higher quality care, better follow-up along with more timely and equitable healthcare, which are all currently limited by restricting portability and requiring licenses for each individual state.

Organization of a Major International Sporting Event in the Midst of Covid-19 Pandemic in Eastern India: An Observational Review Detailing Health and Safety Measures

Sports have been long neglected in our country both in terms of excelling in any sport and hosting events. Even if the country hosts, usually the opportunity goes to the capital city or other metros. Covid 19 pandemic had further compounded the stalemate over the last two years due to evidence against crowd events. But, Odisha state has taken everyone by surprise by hosting the World cup men’s hockey and the study is a basic descriptive observational showcase of health-related safety measures that were ascertained during the matches. The event not only let 3 cities in the state namely Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, and Cuttack get a makeover in terms of tourist destinations but also a fast track check was done on the safety preparations within the stadium. Tool used was a self-devised pre-tested checklist as per Event management standards and the results were that almost international standards were adhered to in terms of crowd management for parking, entry points, sitting arrangements, water, and toilets. Covid appropriate behavior was disregarded due to zero case reporting for over a year. Public was also satisfied with the preparedness and there was a renewed enthusiasm for sports for all age groups, which was a welcome sight after the restricted activity during Covid. The state has taken baby steps towards establishing itself on the Global map as a state that could take up Global sporting events effortlessly. It has added advantage of propagating the rich heritage and culture of the state as well as promoting sports among the public.

An evidence-base for reducing the CO2 emissions of national mega sports events: application of the three-hub model to the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup

Reducing carbon emissions has emerged as an urgent sustainable tourism challenge for the organisers of global mega sports events. This study aims to contribute to the evidence-based for sustainable mega sports events, by examining the potential reduction in CO2 emissions related to the air travel of inbound tourists between each venue and prefecture of entry (airport) using the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup as a case study. We apply the “three-hub model” of event delivery to measure the scope for domestic transport emissions reductions if the event had been delivered under this model. Using secondary Rugby World Cup 2019 ticket purchase data, our estimations indicated that the implementation of the three-hub model would have reduced the domestic transport emissions of inbound spectators by 62.7% (14,126.9 tCO2). We propose two indices for the destination scale of analysis, namely, the numbers of transportation routes that require domestic flights (a) between each venue and prefecture of entry (airport) and (b) between venues. A lack of research on the CO2 emissions generated by mega sports events leaves much scope for the development of the evidence-base required to assist event organising committees to respond to SDG #13 Climate Action.

A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE COVID-19 PREVENTIVE MEASURES AT THE TOKYO 2020 AND BEIJING 2022 OLYMPIC GAMES

National and international sports are well recognized in the international Olympic movement. The Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are the major global sporting events, uniting the entire world together for world peace. Managing the health and safety of athletes at these top sporting events is an important task. During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, sound organisational policies and effective preventive measures to protect athletes from infection at the Olympic Games were essential. Currently, there is not much information on the spread of COVID-19 infection in sports events and the effectiveness of preventive measures. The present study analyses the preventive measures for COVID-19 at Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The study is based on the official documents of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee. It compares the COVID-19 spread and preventive measures taken by the organisers at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Comparative Study on the Status Quo of Emergency Response Strategies of NBA and CBA During the Covid-19

The rapid development of sports has been affected to a certain extent by emergencies. Especially since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2019, global sports events have been suspended one after another, and large-scale sports events were facing the economic threat brought by the epidemic. Based on this, both NBA and CBA leagues formulated a targeted development policy. This article will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the emergency strategies formulated by the two major alliances to deal with emergencies, and then deeply dissect the solutions adopted by the senior management of the alliance to deal with emergencies, analyze their strategies, and give corresponding suggestions, to provide reference and thinking for the development of CBA league and other sports leagues. This paper draws conclusions through literature review, mathematical statistics, and logical analysis. (1) When emergencies occur, decisions made by large sports leagues are largely affected by external factors, such as social factors, and new media (2) The decision made by China's CBA League in response to the turning point of the epidemic crisis has far-reaching strategic significance, and the maturity of the NBA League's emergency public relations team can be used as the object of CBA high-level research and reference.

Tracing Two South Korean Olympic Pathways: Symbols, Conflicts, and Integration through Global Sports Events

Using symbolic politics theory, this study traces the changing political situation in Korea and its effects on the symbolic politics of the two Olympic games – held in Seoul in 1988 and PyeongChang in 2018 – from a historical perspective. It evaluates how different South Korean governments used the two Olympics as political tools. The data from in-depth interviews conducted with 10 participants and literature was quantitatively analysed. The results confirm that the symbolism of the Olympics has changed since the 1980s. In the past, the South Korean military regime promoted nationalism, nationalist ideology, and policies that emphasised individual sacrifice in the name of national interests. Therefore, the military regime used the symbolism of the 1988 Olympics politically to stabilize chaotic domestic sentiment and strengthen national unity, which was a calculated decision. In 2018, the liberal Korean government attempted to use the Olympics to secure political legitimacy. However, with the consolidation of democracy after the end of the military regime, resistance mounted against this brand of politics and a new moral system was established centred on fairness, diversity, and individual autonomy. South Koreans’ perceptions of unification changed over time, which this resistance to the government’s utilisation of symbolism during the 2018 Olympics.

Attracting private investment in the sports sector in Russian regions

In the time of the information age and rapid development of service sector, sports industry is becoming one of the most popular and relevant economy sectors. Every year, sports events acquire the importance of the main events of the year along with scientific discoveries and leading cultural events, which indicates the importance of sports in the life of society. However, it should be noted that the current state of Russian sports as a means of obtaining commercial profits is extremely unsatisfactory. Despite a number of major, truly global sports events that our country has hosted (Winter Olympics in Sochi 2014, Confederations Cup 2017, World Cup 2018, etc.), the commercial potential of Russian sports remains extremely low and noticeably loses out to Western competitors. On this basis, the relevance of the problems of Russian sports is growing in terms of generating commercial profits and attracting private investment not only to federal centers, but also to the regions. The article examines the problem of attracting private funds to the regional sports of Russia, gives examples of effective investments, and analyzes the experience of foreign sports industries.

Application of Cheerleading Referee Information Management System Based on Data Mining.

In recent years, China has focused on the development of sports and adopted modern, scientific, and standardized management of referees. Global sports events are becoming increasingly fierce. One of the main links is to manage the referee group and ensure the fairness and impartiality of sports competitions. In sports competition, referees implement sports rules, so the quality of referees directly determines whether sports events are fair and just. Cheerleading operation was introduced into China as a new sports event and spread rapidly in major universities and primary and secondary schools. With the increase of the number of cheerleading athletes, the number of referees also continues to increase. Referees' information management has become the main problem. Therefore, this paper uses data mining technology to design and develop cheerleading referee information management system, uses the system to manage the basic information of cheerleading referees, and analyzes the sanction ability and strength of cheerleading referees. This paper first introduces the basic concept and operational process of data mining algorithm, and C4.5 decision tree algorithm, and support vector machine algorithm. Based on this algorithm, a cheerleading referee information management system is established. Then, we analyze the system structure and demand analysis and design the main structure of the system. Finally, the number of cheerleading referees is analyzed. The highest proportion of referees is 29.5%, the number of referees is 3 to 5 times, and the highest proportion of referees with more than 10 times per year is 59.24%. Using this system to analyze the strength of cheerleading referees, the most influential factor is the lack of on-the-spot experience, accounting for 38.83%.

Making FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Truly Healthy and Safe: Strategies and Legacy for Present and Future Sporting Events

Aside from the FIFA men’s World cup, fewer other global sporting events have the potential to attract the undivided attention of global leaders and citizens. It is arguable the most influential global sporting event. Thus, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has been themed “Healthy 2022 World Cup - Creating Legacy for Sport and Health”, and the goal is to make the event the most successful, healthiest, and safest sporting event in recent human history. The event is meant to rekindle the global conversation around the double disease pandemic that is presently ravaging the world. The fast and furious Covid-19 and the subtle and steadily progressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The event organizers also intend to use the platform to provide and implement health promotional strategies that will successfully prevent and control the spread and progression of these diseases and influence most global football enthusiasts to cultivate healthy and sustainable lifestyle changes. A successful event may likely be a model and legacy for future sporting or social events. However, for the FIFA World cup Qatar 2022 to be effective in changing unhealthy behaviours and in promoting safe and healthy lifestyles, it should have some vital components. The planning and execution of such a project need to be systematic, comprehensive, and evidence-based. This review briefly discussed the global impacts of Covid-19 and NCDs, the importance of combating these diseases through the FIFA World cup Qatar 2022, and finally suggested strategies that will likely ensure the event achieves its set goals and objectives.

International public opinion analysis of four olympic games: From 2008 to 2022

Since the rapid spread of the COVID-19 worldwide, the pandemic has led to a huge impact on global sporting events. As a major international event, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has commonalities with the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in terms of international public opinion context and epidemiological background. In this study, over 1 million pieces of UGC(User Generated Contents) in Chinese and English languages were obtained from social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, as well as traditional mass media in various countries to compare the differences between the two languages in international public opinion. Using sentiment analysis, this study explores the evolution of international public opinion topics and sentiment differences among the above four Olympic Games. The analysis results show that:1) regardless of traditional mass media or online social media, there is a more obvious tendency of general politicization in the topics of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and extreme emotional remarks of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are more frequent; 2) in the topic of political opinion involving China, international Chinese public opinion presents more negative sentiment than those in English; 3) Among the topics involving COVID-19, the negative level of public opinion in Chinese and English is opposite for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics;4) International public opinion on the topic of sports events is significantly more positive in Chinese than in English;5) YouTube’s Chinese opinion environment is better than English.

A Systematic Review of the Impact of COVID-19 on Global Sporting Events in 2020: The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

The Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), like no other pandemic has taken the world by storm, affecting all and any spheres of life. This effect has also impacted global sporting events such as the 2020 Summer Olympics that were scheduled for the 24th of July 2020 to the 9th of July 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. Historically, the Summer Olympics have been cancelled 3 times due to war but the postponement that occurred in 2020 is unprecedented. The socio-economic implications are still yet to be fully explored and realised. The purpose of this research is to therefore examine the impact of COVID-19 on the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. The study will adopt a systematic literature review of material on the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to sporting events and statistical inferences will be conducted based on publicly accessible secondary data sources. Considering that the pandemic is still an ongoing phenomenon the findings and analysis cannot be conclusive, a snapshot based on current data and scientific predictions will be provided on what COVID-19 meant to global sporting events. A broad analysis of the pandemic’s impact on sport will be provided despite the focus being on the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Last, this study serves as a template for further research on COVID-19’s impact on sporting events in general, preferably studies conducted post the pandemic for reflection purposes based on more conclusive data.

Agon i značaj pobede na svečanim igrama u Olimpiji

The ideology of one of the most important global sporting events of today, the modern Olympic Games, focused on participation rather than victory, promoting equality among participants rather than domination of the victors over the defeated, established ideal models of sportsmanship and sports ethics of today based on the values of ancient society. The subject of this paper refers to the agon and the significance of winning the Ceremonial Games in Olympia. The objective of the paper is to determine the significance of the victory at the Ceremonial Games in Olympia through a review of primary and secondary historical sources, as well as to point out the connection between the victory and the agon. The historical method and the method of theoretical analysis are both applied in the paper. The results of the research point to the fact that the Ceremonial Games in Olympia were shaped by the general Greek phenomenon of expressed competitiveness or agon, the concept of honourable rivalry in all spheres of social life, with the purpose of proving excellence and superiority over competitors, and which as such became the main driving force of the development of ancient Greek culture, on the foundations of which the entire Western civilization rests today.