by Steve Wilson, President Ex Officio Olympic Journalists Association
Whenever I reflect on three decades of reporting on the Olympic Games, the IOC, and the wider Olympic Movement, I always come back to one basic premise: The Olympics are the ultimate global story. No other sporting event matches the worldwide impact and international resonance of the Olympics or touches so many aspects of the world we live in: sports, business, industry, politics, entertainment, and more. The Olympics are much more than a 16-day sporting extravaganza; they are the lifeblood of a 24/7 multibillion-dollar sporting industry that stretches around the earth.
At the same time, the Olympics represent something that cannot be measured in dollars and cents, in television ratings, in commercial revenues, or in medal counts. They stand apart from other mega sports events such as the FIFA World Cup. They are held to a higher standard. They have a unique and magical quality. The Olympics stand for the values of excellence, friendship, and respect. They uphold the ideals of mutual understanding, solidarity, and fair play. They inspire. They bring the world together. They promote peace and international goodwill. As the late U.S. broadcaster Jim McKay put it, the Olympics constitute “the largest peacetime gathering of humanity in the history of the world.”
I have had the pleasure of bumping into Max Donner at Olympic events around the world over many years. We’ve both witnessed the extraordinary impact that the Games can have on nations, on cities, on athletes, on institutions, on business, on everyday people. So I was fascinated to read The Olympic Sports Economy. This book provides a sharp and timely insight into the massive global scale and reach of the Olympic Games, the resilience of the Olympics in the face of so many challenges and their continuing relevance in today’s world.
When the French educator Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern Olympic Games and the IOC in Paris in 1894, he could hardly have imagined that both would still be going strong 125 years later. Yet the Olympics have managed to survive through two world wars, crippling political boycotts, near bankruptcy, terrorism, and doping and corruption scandals. Coubertin would surely be surprised (perhaps shocked) at the size, scale, and commercialization of today’s Olympics. But he would also be proud to see the way the Games have endured and remain pertinent, especially in today’s increasingly divided and polarized world.
I recently asked the current IOC president, Thomas Bach, what was the secret to the longevity of the Olympics. He cited two main reasons:
The first is that the values established by Pierre de Coubertin are still important, and are even more important in times of political and financial crisis. The second is that the IOC, in the most determining moments, always adapted to modern times and did not rely on tradition. That means keeping the values and holding the values high up, but also adapting the way we promote the values, how we interpret them, to a given time.
This theme of enduring relevance runs throughout The Olympic Sports Economy. The book provides a deep dive into the far-reaching impact of the Olympics. It describes how they serve as a foundation for the global sports industry and play an increasing role in the fields of health, human performance, and international communication.
Max delves into the economic realities and challenges that have scared off so many cities and countries from wanting to host the Games and raised questions about the long-term future of the Olympics. At this critical crossroads, the IOC has moved to revolutionize the bidding and hosting process. The focus now is on affordability, sustainability, legacy, and maximum use of existing and temporary venues. Building new arenas for the sole purpose of the Olympics is discouraged. The Games are being adapted to fit a city or region’s long-term needs, not the other way around. The traditional bidding competition may be replaced by a targeted selection procedure. Future Olympics may be awarded to regions or multiple countries rather than a single city.
These reforms and changes will be felt all across the Olympic ecosystem. As the book highlights, this is a vast landscape: The Olympics have served as a model for more than 600 other international multisport competitions and institutions, providing a broad scope of social, economic, and sporting benefits supported by Olympic organizations, sports, and athletes.
Max traces the extensive reach of the Olympic movement through its network of more than 200 National Olympic Committees, dozens of continental and regional associations, and many international and national sports federations. This influence also trickles down to more than 1,000 grass-roots organizations of volunteers, nutritionists, fundraisers, and other specialists. This vast system combines to produce benefits that are, again, worldwide.
Like Max, I have personally observed and experienced the power of the Olympics from different perspectives and through many changes, from the 1980s up until today. As a journalist with The Associated Press, I covered 15 Summer and Winter Olympic Games and chronicled IOC Sessions, Executive Board meetings, and other Olympic events and stories across the world. I’ve witnessed Olympic competition from press tribunes, mixed zones, and training grounds. I’ve followed the behind-the-scenes politics, decision making, and controversies from conference rooms, convention centers, and hotel lobbies on all five continents.
I have witnessed scenes of unbridled jubilation and celebration when cities have won bids to host the Games as well as the tears and utter despair of those who have lost out after putting years of effort into their bid campaigns.
I have felt chills watching athletes from South and North Korea march together for the first time behind a unified flag in Sydney and seeing a trembling Muhammad Ali hold the torch aloft to light the Olympic cauldron in Atlanta.
I was exhilarated by the breathtaking performances of Usain Bolt in Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro, and the record-setting gold medal hauls of Michael Phelps.
I can still hear the explosion of cheers from the home fans when Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime against the United States to give Canada the ice hockey gold medal in Vancouver. When the puck flew into the net, the entire arena seemed to shake to its foundations.
It was a similar scene when Andy Murray served an ace down the middle on match point to beat Roger Federer for the London 2012 tennis gold medal on Centre Court at Wimbledon. The crowd erupted in a deafening roar unlike anything I’d ever heard at the All England Club.
Who can forget the feel-good stories of British ski jumper Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards and the Jamaican bobsled team? These plucky underdogs showed that competing against the odds with heart and determination embodies the Olympic spirit as much as winning medals.
There are also the little things behind the scenes that really endure. As a journalist, I have spent many hours sharing meals, riding on buses, and exchanging life stories with colleagues and new friends from all parts of the world. As a mentor for the IOC Young Reporters program, I have coached aspiring journalists from countries far and wide, from Barbados to Lesotho to Vanuatu. As a sports fan, I have marveled at the grit and passion of athletes from less developed countries who have dedicated their lives to making it to the Olympic starting line.
Some of my fondest memories go back to the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer. Many people had never even heard of the tiny Norwegian hamlet until then. But Lillehammer grabbed its spot on the world stage and left an indelible mark.
I can still relive the moments strolling down the snow-covered Storgata—the pretty main street—mingling with thousands of cheerful and friendly Norwegians of all ages, their faces painted in their national colors. Wherever you went during those two weeks, and despite the bitter Norwegian cold, the fans came out in force, not only to support their athletes but to cheer on athletes from all over the world. The fans turned the Games into a joyous festival of celebration, color, and sound. For everyone who was there, it was a magical, unforgettable experience that will forever be cherished.
And yet, not all Olympic experiences can be so pleasant. I will never forget the feeling of deep sadness and anguish upon confirming the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in a training crash at the 2010 Vancouver Games. When I spoke with IOC President Jacques Rogge, he broke down in tears.
The tragedy brought home how the Olympics are about people, about humanity, about bringing the world together. It is that unifying global element which makes the Olympics so vital.