Olympic Committee Research Articles

The Court of Arbitration for Sport and Athlete Protests: A Focus on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

This research paper aims to delve into the complex intersection of athlete protests, political expressions in sports, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) role, particularly emphasizing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. An exploratory design is employed, combining historical context with analytical insight. The structure covers an introduction to CAS and the significance of athlete protests, traces the historical precedent of political expressions in Olympic Games, elaborates on the jurisdiction and procedures of CAS, provides a meticulous overview of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics controversies, and conducts a comparative analysis with previous Olympic CAS rulings. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics witnessed an unprecedented surge in athlete protests and political expressions. Key CAS rulings during these games had a profound influence on athlete behaviour, public opinion, and the stance of the Olympic Committee. Notably, CAS’s decisions revealed a cautious approach, balancing the Olympic guidelines and athlete rights. The study illuminates the evolving dynamics between sports institutions and athlete expressions. CAS, as an adjudicatory body, plays a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of such protests, potentially influencing future Olympic policies. Gaining insights into the intricacies of the CAS decisions empowers sports professionals, athletes, and decision-makers to predict the possible outcomes of upcoming disputes. This in turn contributes to more seamless Olympic events. The present study delves deeply into the CAS’s engagement with athlete protests during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Distinct from previous research, this work amalgamates historical, procedural, and ethical dimensions, offering a comprehensive understanding of an area that is both intricate and under the global spotlight.

Youth representatives as agents of institutional change: the circumscribing effects of role prescriptions in sport governance

ABSTRACT Conceptualising the youth representative as an institutional role, we explore the institutional shaping of youth representatives as change agents in the governance of sport organisations. Focusing on how these shaping conditions who the youth representative can be and what determines the scope of their role fulfilment, including the impact of their work on established institutional orders, allows us to examine the shaping of agency related to governance institutions. Data is drawn from a questionnaire centred on the experiences of young people in sport governance (n = 32) and semi-structured interviews with 10 representatives of organisations affiliated with the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederations of Sports. The role of the youth representatives is scripted in terms of who the representatives ought to be and what they ought to do. The scripting associated with the operationalisation of this ambition into role pre- and proscriptions stands in stark contrast to the ideal of youth representatives as agents of institutional change. Our study of the scripting of institutional roles has theoretical implications because it shows how normative typifications that link notions of actors with actorhood circumscribe institutional work pertaining to change.

Политизация спорта в современном мире: правовой взгляд на проблему

The article is devoted to the definition of theoretical and methodological approaches to the proper legal assessment of the processes of politicization of elite sports in the modern world. The generally accepted principles of relations between the state and sports federations, key Olympic principles, conceptual provisions on sport as a specific socio-cultural activity are considered. An analysis has been made of the systemic discrimination occurring in recent years in Russian sports, the main reason being the unprecedented political pressure of the political leadership of some countries of the “collective West” on the International Olympic Committee, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and international universal and regional sports federations. The author’s theoretical, methodological, scientific and practical proposals are formulated to overcome the politicization of world sports, and a model for the full implementation of Olympic principles in the decisions and actions of the International Olympic Committee and international sports federations in individual sports is proposed. The scale of the negative impact of the politicization of sports to ensure the rights of athletes, the efficiency and quality of sports competitions, and ensuring a non-discriminatory approach in world professional sports is shown.

TRANSGENDER’S RIGHTS TO SPORT COMPETITIONS FOLLOWING THE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (2021)

The topic of human rights is taking on new relevant forms, especially when it comes to transgender rights. Their right to participate in sports has always been a subject of much debate. In November 2021 the International Olympic Committee adopted the new recommendations “Framework on Equity, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Intersex” on transgender people, which declared that each federation has to decide for itself when setting its own rules regarding the right of these people to participate in sports competitions. So, one thing is clear there is no common position on this issue. The article aims to reveal the practical aspects of such regulation regarding the possibilities and limitations of transgender participation in individual sports. The applied research methods are analysis of legal acts and other documents, review of articles and scientific literature, and qualitative comparative analysis. The research results showed that despite the principles specified in the Framework prohibiting discrimination, in practice these principles can be difficult to harmonize, especially if we speak about fair competition and equal opportunities.

The 2022 Winter Olympics on Russian State TV Channels

Modern television broadcasts the most interesting sports events, not only promoting sports but also influencing social values in favor of active physical education. Owing to the interaction of the International Olympic Committee and television, the Olympic Games have become the main sporting event in the world. Nowadays, television is the major source of material wellbeing for the Olympic movement. Television is one of the key partners of sports, providing its financing through the purchase of broadcasting rights and through the sponsors’ television advertising. The further development of any sport entirely depends on television, which adapted sports competitions to its modern requirements at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. But there is also a negative point in mutually beneficial cooperation: television creates a hierarchy, at the top of which are the most popular sports in a particular country. The purpose of the study is to analyze TV broadcasts of the 2022 Winter Olympics on public Russian television channels and determine the most popular winter sports among Russians.

The history of the development of French Savat boxing

This article highlights the history of the development of French Savat boxing. It is indicated that French boxing savat is a spectacular form of martial arts that is gaining popularity in Ukraine, and therefore the question of studying the history of its development is relevant. The purpose of the article is to get acquainted with the history of the development of French Savat boxing. The final recognition of the respectability of sawat came in 1924, when it was included as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games in Paris. In 2008, Savat was recognized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) - this recognition allows the World Federation to hold official university world championships; the first was held in Nantes, France in 2010. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the International Savat Federation in March 2010 was marked by a visit to Lausanne to meet the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge. FISav President Gilles Le Dugot received a souvenir with the image of the Olympic rings. In April 2010, the International Sawat Federation was accepted as a member of SportAccord (formerly known as AGFIS) - a major step forward towards Olympic inclusion. However, the history of the development of French Savat boxing was not conducted by Ukrainian scientists. Studying the specifics of this sport will allow a deeper understanding of not only the sport itself, but also the peculiarities of the worldview and aesthetic preferences of the French people. An in-depth study of the cultural history of Savat through a historical lens will help to more vividly present the uniqueness and value of this tradition. This can interest and encourage young people to engage in French boxing, not only young men, but also girls, and it will inspire young athletes to reach the heights of sportsmanship. Conclusion. If the Europeans discovered the French boxing savat a long time ago and are developing it at a high professional and technical level, this sport is relatively young in Ukraine. Therefore, the scope for research in this area is large. French boxing sawat is an interesting and spectacular sport, which owes its technical elements. Therefore, it is worth paying great attention to the study of various aspects of this type of martial arts.

Building European Fraternity Through Gymnastics: The Establishment of the Bureau Des Fédérations Européennes de Gymnastiques, 1863–1913

The historiography of ‘associative gymnastics’ has mostly focused on the ways individual countries used gymnastics in education and in the military and to build patriotic fervour. In contrast, scholars have paid little attention to the early internationalization of gymnastics in Europe and beyond. The present paper draws on original research, notably in the archives of the Swiss Gymnastics Federation and the Olympic Studies Centre, to examine the process by which Switzerland’s model of ‘federal’ gymnastics festivals spread throughout Europe from the 1860s onwards and gave rise to intense exchanges (documentation, official delegations, competitors) between the national federations that were emerging at the time. This process, together with the work of Nicolaas Jan Cupérus, from Belgium, helped pave the way for establishing the Bureau des Fédérations Européennes de Gymnastique (BFEG), whose foundation historians traditionally trace back to a meeting in Liège in 1881. Analysis of the BFEG’s early history revealed the main issues (apoliticism, secularism, amateurism) and tensions (nationalism vs. internationalism) that accompanied its development. Its relationship with the newly founded International Olympic Committee and the modern doctrine of Olympism also had a profound impact on the BFEG and its decision to create a true international gymnastics tournament.

Structural and Cultural Othering: An Organizational Culture Perspective on Young People’s Participation in Decision-making in Sport Organizations

The purpose of this article is to examine the role played by organizational culture in young people’s continuing underrepresentation in decision-making bodies, despite structural changes, in the context of Norwegian sport organizations. Data is based on a questionnaire centred on the experiences of young people in sport governance ( n = 32 youth representatives) and semi-structured interviews with young (under 26 years) and older representatives of organizations affiliated with the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederations of Sports ( n = 10). Findings show that Norwegian sport organizations foster a cultural understanding of young people which takes its structural expression in the separation of elements that are ‘othering’ the youth. Youth have also limited access to resources of power as a result of a lack of trust in older leaders. Prevailing culture mirrors an adult society in which young people need to upgrade their level of professionalism through education before they are invited to decision-making processes.

Replacing place with space: the influences and the challenges of the new norm on the Milan-Cortina Winter Games 2026

ABSTRACT As part of its ongoing review of the processes surrounding the hosting of the Olympic Games (OGs), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has set out the Olympic Agenda 2020 and the related New Norm (NN). These reforms, respectively approved in 2014 and 2018 to deal with the growing withdrawal of the bids, are in line with recent management studies highlighting the importance of standardization and replicability in the delivery of physical and social infrastructure. Indeed, they aim to convert development projects, historically-embedded in places, into programmable and transferable spaces of action, in which rules of project management and organization can be applied. The example of the Milano-Cortina Winter Games (MCWG) 2026 is used to assess the first effects and impacts of such IOC's new approach. At the backdrop of the historical evolution of mega-event planning in post-war Italy, the rolling-out of the MCWG is examined at the multiple scales of the Olympic macro-region and of the Milan Olympic Village. The analysis shows that, despite the objectives of the NN to overcome existing tensions and conflicts in the involved places, the Games has only succeeded in amplifying them. Such contradiction demands for a further reflection on this model, that remains under-discussed and under-researched.

Rhodesian Readmission and the Decolonization of the National Olympic Committee of Zimbabwe

Abstract In May 1980, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized the National Olympic Committee of Zimbabwe (ZOC) after the latter had spent five years in exile under its former name, the National Olympic Committee of Rhodesia (ROC). Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwean government's desire to have a team compete at the 1980 Moscow Olympics delayed the multiracial restructuring of the ZOC. The government's efforts to reform the ZOC, replacing the old white ROC members, transformed into a two-year-long contentious struggle. After an intervention by the IOC in June 1982, a compromise was reached. The composition of the new ZOC represented the government's greater control over sport in the country. The reformation of the ZOC demonstrates the complex process of transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe and the difficulties of decolonization in sport. In examining these events, this article bridges the gap between colonial Rhodesian and postcolonial Zimbabwean sport and presents a case study of decolonization within a sports administration.

The Mental Game of Golf: Understanding Relationships Between Self-Efficacy, Fear of Failure, Competitive State Anxiety, and Flow.

Our purpose in this study was to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, fear of failure, competitive state anxiety, and flow among elite golfers. We surveyed 375 elite golfers (N = 375; male = 187, female = 188) who were registered with the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee, and we analyzed their survey responses using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modelling. As expected, we found golf self-efficacy (GSE) to be significantly related to fear of failure (FOF). We also found FOF and competitive state anxiety (CSA) significantly related to flow. Finally, we verified a suspected hierarchical or mediating effect in these relationships such that we verified predictive relationships of flow as follows: GSE→FOF→CSA→Flow. These golfers' self-efficacy had a buffering effect of lowering their FOF and CSA in the pathway toward flow. A suggested implication of these findings is that to enhance a golfer's performance by minimizing interfering psychological factors, it is essential to boost their self-efficacy.

Objects, Olympics, and Femininity: Exploring the Impact of a 1924 Handheld Fan on Gender at the Games

Abstract On the second level of the Olympic Museum in Switzerland lives a handheld fan from the 1924 Paris Olympics featuring five sportswomen. The museum describes the fan as a souvenir from the Games and an advertisement for a French perfume company. However, this fan is much more than an advertisement or souvenir. Drawing upon new materialist theory, which envisions objects as lively, this article looks toward the ways the fan was productive in developing ideas around gender at the Olympics. Using an object biography, this research explores how the fan contributed to the New Woman femininity of the 1920s and currently produces a narrative of the International Olympic Committee as being a gender progressive organization. In so doing, it explores how an object that is often overlooked by many at the museum plays a powerful role in understandings of gender across the history of the Games.

Bidding for the Olympic Games: An Anatomy of Arguments

Abstract In this article, I draw on the philosopher of history Hayden White's typology of arguments to explain different accounts of bidding for the olympic games. White's typology helps explain the irreconcilable disconnect between representations of bidding for and hosting the olympic games put forward by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its academic supporters in olympic education, on the one hand, and their critics, on the other. While I advocate for contextual-based arguments as the most appropriate for understanding bidding at different points in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, I conclude with an irony: the IOC's representations of bidding and hosting, which are based on organicist arguments presented in romantic and idealized narratives, continue to resonate better with a broad audience than fact-laden and eloquent contextualist arguments.

What are the risk factors of injury for a rowing athlete?

The aim of this study was to examine the specific characteristics of injuries (injury location, injury type, and time to return to sports) based on sex and rowing style. We included 60 adolescent rowers (Sweep male and female, 12 respectively; Sculling male and female, 18 respectively) who underwent training in Korea from January to December 2023. Sports injuries were meticulously recorded using the Daily Injury Report form issued by the International Olympic Committee for rowers characteristics (sex, rowing style) and injury characteristics (injury location, injury type). The injury incidence rate (IIR) per 1000 h of training was calculated using the 95% Poisson Confidence Interval. A χ2 test was performed to compare the characteristics of the rowers and injury characteristics. The overall IIR was 4.25 injuries per 1000 training hours. The IIR was lower for men than for women (P<0.001). However, sweep and sculling were similar (P=0.269). There was a difference in the affected body regions according to the sex and rowing style (P=0.028, P=0.005; respectively). Time to return to sports varied between rowing styles (P=0.049) and sexes (P=0.033), and it also differed in sweep (P=0.002) and sculling (P=0.045) depending on body regions. These results should be incorporated into programs that are aimed at improving the performance of these rowers and preventing sports injuries. In addition, can be used as data to determine their return to sport.

SCS 6th Annual Meeting-EEVFA-11th International Congress of Biochemistry and Physiology of Exercise, Athens, Greece, 2023.

On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS) and the Hellenic Society of Biochemistry and Exercise Physiology (EEVFA), we are pleased to present the abstracts of the SCS 6th Annual Meeting and EEVFA-11th International Congress of Biochemistry and Physiology of Exercise. The event was held at the Hellenic Olympic Committee headquarters in Athens, Greece, on 19-22 October 2023, and comprised several invited sessions from international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance sports, sport science and training-competition load management in elite environments, biochemistry and exercise physiology and prescription, nutrition and biomechanics, among others. The conference also included different practical workshops conducted by renowned academics and practitioners on eccentric training, change of direction ability and strength and power training in professional team-sports, and ergospirometry and exercise prescription in specific populations. Finally, the event disseminated up-to-date strength and conditioning research by providing practitioners and researchers with the opportunity to present their most recent findings. In this regard, all abstracts of the communications presented at the SCS 6th Annual Meeting-EEVFA-11th International Congress of Biochemistry and Physiology of Exercise can be found in this Conference Report.

How does a “neutral” rule become a systemic barrier to racial justice? Human rights activism, International Olympic Committee Rule 50, and the neutrality myth in racialized organizations

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the International Olympic Committee’s Rule 50 – a policy prohibiting athlete protest at the Games – as its site of analysis to examine how sport policy becomes contested terrain when being utilized by those in power to reinforce an unjust status quo. Specifically, we drew from critical discourse analysis and Ray’s Theory of Racialized Organizations to better understand how discourses of the neutrality of sport allow for the rule to be utilized to perpetuate hegemonic norms that silence activism among athletes and disguise unequal power relations in global sport governance. Through analysis of the contemporary discourses surrounding the IOC’s recent Rule 50 consultation, we found that those calling for keeping the rule intact framed the issue as an organizational integrity issue, whereas those calling for abolishment and amendments framed the rule as a human rights issue. As such, we critique the continuing effect of the neutrality myth in global sport governance – a harmful racist myth perpetuated by those governing Olympic sport that rests on the false claim of Olympic idealism being free from politics and social ills.

Ukrainians in Italy fight for ukraine’s participation in the Olympic Games

The article analyzes archival funds and primary sources to establish the peculiarities of the activities of the Ukrainian diaspora in Italy on the eve of the 1960 Olympic Games. Correspondence between Osip Zinkevich and Vasyl Fedorovych regarding the participation of Ukrainian athletes separately from the USSR in the Olympic Games in Rome was revealed. It was found that the Ukrainian Olympic Committee was active on the eve and during the Olympic Games, distributing memorandums to the International Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations, etc., printing newsletters, opening an information bureau in Rome.&#x0D; The activities of the information bureau of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee contributed to the distribution in Ukrainian and English of the newsletter «For the participation of Ukraine in the Olympic Games», the organization of a press conference in Rome for the foreign press, the organization of an exhibition of Ukrainian publications in the countries of the free world, the establishment of contacts with Ukrainian (Soviet) athletes , re-presenting the issue of Ukraine's participation in the Olympic Games at the Rome session of the IOC, promoting the Olympic idea among the Ukrainian community in Ukraine and abroad, publishing the book «Ukrainian Olympic Champions» in English. The idea of local participation of the Ukrainian team in the Olympic Games has little global support.

Lateral Ankle Joint Injuries in Indoor and Court Sports: A Systematic Video Analysis of 445 Nonconsecutive Case Series

Background: Lateral ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in indoor and court sports. Self-reports and case studies have indicated that these injuries occur via both contact and noncontact injury mechanisms typically because of excessive inversion in combination with plantarflexion and adduction of the foot. Video-based documentation of the injury mechanism exists, but the number of cases reported in the literature is limited. Purpose: To retrieve and systematically analyze a large number of video-recorded lateral ankle injuries from indoor and court sports, as well as describe the injury mechanism, injury motion, and injury pattern across different sports. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 445 unique video-recorded lateral ankle sprain injuries were retrieved from indoor and court sports of broadcasted levels of competition. The videos were independently analyzed by 2 different reviewers. Outcomes included classification of the injury mechanism according to the International Olympic Committee consensus guidelines, primary and secondary motions of ankle joint distortion, and documentation of the fixation point (fulcrum) around which the foot rotates. Results: Overall, 298 (67%) injuries were direct contact, 113 (25%) were noncontact, and 32 (7%) were indirect contact incidents. Direct contact injuries were especially prevalent in basketball (76%), handball (80%), and volleyball (85%), while noncontact injuries dominated in tennis and badminton (96% vs 95% across both). Inversion (65%) and internal rotation (33%) were the primary distortion motions, with the lateral forefoot (53%) and lateral midfoot (40%) serving as the main fulcrums. Landing on another player's foot was the leading cause of injury (n = 246; 55%), primarily characterized by inversion (79%) around a midfoot fulcrum (54%). The noncontact and indirect landings on floor (n = 144; 33%) were primarily characterized by a distortion around a forefoot fulcrum (69%). Conclusion: Two of 3 ankle sprains from online video platforms were direct contact injuries, with most involving landing on another player's foot. The distortion motion seems to be related to the injury mechanism and the fixation point between the foot and the floor. The injury mechanisms varied greatly between sports, and future studies should clearly differentiate and investigate the specific injury mechanisms.

The achievement of sustainability and legacies by the host cities of the Summer Olympiads, 2012–2024

ABSTRACT Since the emergence of the concept of sustainable development, the Olympic Games have become a vehicle to demonstrate and promote the principles and practices of sustainability. The aim of this paper is to explain and evaluate how the application of sustainable development in the context of the Summer Olympic Games has evolved. Two processes have been influential in this change: first, the institutional expectations of the International Olympic Committee have encouraged greater responsibility towards the creation of legacies by potential host cities through the IOC Charter, the Olympic Agenda 2020, and the Olympic Agenda 2020+5; and second, the context and inventiveness of host cities has created new perspectives on sustainability to secure the event and raise its global profile. This paper will focus on the sustainability benchmarks established in London 2012 and evaluate whether these have been continued or extended in the subsequent editions of the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024). The changing discourses reveal the tensions between the IOC’s agendas for the event, the motivations of the host cities and the realities of delivery in changing socio-economic and political circumstances.

Psychometric analysis of the International Olympic Committee's Sport Mental Health Assessment Triage Tool among non-elite amateur adult athletes

ABSTRACT Background The International Olympic Committee developed the Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool-1, encompassing the Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ) – used for initial screening of mental ill-being symptoms and risk in elite athletes. Despite preliminary psychometric evidence, the APSQ has yet to be tested in non-elite amateur athletes, who represent the majority of sporting participants. Method Athletes (n = 605) aged 28.57 years (SD = 9.32) comprising 402 males (73.5%) completed the 10-item APSQ, alongside validated measures of anxiety, depression and well-being. Two Confirmatory Factor Analysis models were tested, in addition to a series of receiver operating characteristics curves benchmarked against clinically relevant anxiety and depression symptoms to examine pre-defined and alternative cut-point sensitivity values. Nomological validity was tested through Pearson's correlations, and intraclass correlation coefficients were examined for test–retest reliability. Results A higher-order APSQ model comprising a general “Psychological Strain” factor, and three subcomponents of “External coping”, “Self-Regulation” and “Performance” were selected. Convergent and divergent validity were shown, and a new revised cut-point was found to have good classification accuracy within the sample. Largely “fair-to-good” test–retest reliability values were found. Conclusion The APSQ could be considered for initial screening of athlete mental health symptoms by sports organisations and may enable effective triaging to follow-up mental health assessment and/or supporting guidance, potentially preventing, or mitigating, short and long-term effects of mental ill-being. Further research should be undertaken to establish if the psychometric properties found amongst the present sample are generalisable to the broader amateur sporting population.