Twelfth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

This research discusses the role of international relations in sport, particularly in the Summer Olympic Games. The connection of international relations in the credibility crisis that developed in organizing the Olympics and, consequently, in the International Olympic Committee, is being studied. In debating the various origins of this generalized crisis, it is intended to identify whether the historical politicization of sport is one of the reasons for the occurrence of this. In this context, the Agenda 20+20, which was later published precisely to mitigate the effect of this crisis with economic, geopolitical and social roots, is also analyzed. The research question is whether Agenda 20+20, the response to the Games and International Olympic Committee crisis, has any measures that aim to lessen the impact of international relations, more specifically, of international politics at the Games, if this impact is identified as one of the crisis’ propellers. Permeating the dissertation will be the concepts of International Relations so that the international character of the Games is added to the debate. Finally, the initiatives taken by the International Olympic Committee in response to Agenda 20+20 will be identified, so that it can be checked whether the Agenda has been successfully implemented, and what can be expected from these new Games in terms of politicization. The research uses the qualitative method and comes to the conclusion that politicization is an indirect motivation for the crisis, but that the reform proposed by Agenda 20+20 will directly affect international relations at the Olympic Games.