UBC Faculty Research and Publications

Sport, Legacy and Sustainability: Is it Worth It? Tansey, James; Wyatt, Derek; Kidd, Bruce; Katz, Sid

Description

The following discussion is one of the five thought-provoking dialogues in the Sport and Society series (February 8th-March 15th 2010) featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes who have used their celebrity to make a difference in the world. The series was hosted by Intellectual Muscle: University Dialogues for the Vancouver 2010 Games, developed by Vancouver 2010 and the University of British Columbia, in collaboration with universities across Canada and The Globe and Mail. Abstract: Assessing the legacy of the Olympic Games is often a contentious issue. Spiraling costs and the perceived difference between what is promised and what is delivered has left a shifting perception of the legacies of the Olympic Movement. The father of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin, believed in the transformative power of sport and culture as a means of working together for social betterment. But the intervening years have produced mixed results where sport for its own sake has outdistanced these ideals. Bruce Kidd argues for the continuing relevance of the Olympics and explores how recent Games, including Vancouver 2010, have contributed to making the world a better place. Dr. Kidd’s talk is followed by a panel discussion to include Derek Wyatt.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International