Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

As often mentioned in the academic literature and in the media, the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi became a record-breaking event in terms of investments made, amount of media attention drawn, and scope of impact produced on the host region. The current paper aims to investigate the disparity between promises made in regards to the potential impact of the Sochi Olympics and presented in the 2014 IOC Evaluation Commission Report versus the actual effects of the Games, evaluated based on the information drawn from official documentation of environmental and human rights organizations, news reports, and various media sources. The analysis focuses on four major dimensions of the Games’ impact: infrastructure, environment, athletic venues, and tourism. The work shows that fulfillment of promises and benefits of the Sochi Games for the Russian population have been very questionable. The event has been associated with numerous acts of violation of environmental laws and local residents’ human rights, corruption, and tremendous economic losses. However, the 2014 Winter Olympics’ gigantic costs and negative impact on the host region is not a unique trend. Similar tendencies have been associated with most mega-events staged in the 20th and 21st centuries.