With the London 2012 Olympic Games, sustainability within mega-sport events has come to attention again as the organisers of the event are seeking to create a truly green event (London2012 2009a, London2012 2009b). But not only developed nations are hosting such large-scale events. Recently, the FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa, the Commonwealth Games in India and the next Olympics will be staged in Brazil (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung 2011). Thus, this paper will deal with the following question. Can sustainability be achieved at mega-sport events in developing countries? The FIFA 2010 Soccer World Championships in South Africa will be used as a descriptive example of a past mega-sporting event. The goal of the paper is to answer this question while also giving a diligent insight and thorough understanding of the Triple Bottom Line Model.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. SUSTAINABILITY
2.1 DEFINITION
2.2 SUSTAINABILITY AND MEGA-SPORT EVENTS
3. THEORETICAL APPROACH
3.1 TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE MODEL
3.2 PEOPLE, PLANET AND PROFIT
4. 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA
4.1 THE EVENT
4.2 TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
4.2.1 PEOPLE
4.2.2 PLANET
4.2.3 PROFIT
4.3 CRITICAL ANALYSIS
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to examine whether sustainability can effectively be achieved at mega-sporting events hosted in developing nations. By utilizing the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as a descriptive case study, the research evaluates the event's performance through the lens of the Triple Bottom Line Model to determine if social, environmental, and economic benefits were genuinely realized.
- Application of the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, Profit) framework.
- Evaluation of social impacts, including legacy projects like '20 Centres for 2010'.
- Assessment of environmental sustainability efforts and carbon footprint challenges.
- Analysis of economic outcomes and the financial burden on developing host nations.
- Investigation into the socio-economic imbalances and the distribution of event benefits.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.1 People
As a positive effect on the civil society one can say that the FIFA World Cup united diverse groups of the South African society (Death 2011). Further, a decreased crime rate during the World Cup could be observed with fewer robberies, assaults on foreign visitors and murders during the period of the tournament. This can be traced back to the high police visibility (South African Police Service 2011). Another social benefit is the FIFA 2010 official campaign ‘20 Centres for 2010’. Its goal is to accomplish favourable social change through soccer by constructing twenty ‘Football for Hope Centres’ which promote public health, soccer and education across the African continent. The centres will be located in underprivileged areas and assist to develop education and health services for young individuals. Overall, the campaign will sponsor social development through sports, starting a lasting physical social legacy for Africa and its World Cup. Thus far, four centres started their operations in South Africa, Kenya, Mali and Namibia. All 20 Football for Hope Centres will be finished in the year 2012 (streetfootballworld 2011). Despite the positive social benefits mentioned in the beginning of this passage, one has to mention that the harmony and excitement demonstrated by South Africans for the duration of the international soccer tournament was a temporary stage and the World Cup legacy is more theoretical than factual. The 2010 FIFA tournament could not hold off strikes by the construction work force and the moment the football championships were ending, the cohesive effects of the World Cup had instantly vanished with the spectre of chauvinistic assaults on foreign nationals raising its head (Cottle 2010).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Defines the scope of the research and poses the central question regarding the feasibility of sustainable mega-sport events in developing countries.
2. SUSTAINABILITY: Explores various definitions of sustainability and its historical emergence as a consideration within the context of international sporting events.
3. THEORETICAL APPROACH: Introduces the Triple Bottom Line Model, detailing the three core pillars: People, Planet, and Profit, which serve as the analytical framework for the paper.
4. 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA: Provides a comprehensive case study of the tournament, assessing it against the Triple Bottom Line criteria and offering a critical analysis of its legacy.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, noting the difficulties in achieving genuine sustainable development at mega-events and the necessity for long-term monitoring.
Keywords
Sustainability, Mega-sport events, 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa, Triple Bottom Line, People, Planet, Profit, Sustainable development, Event management, Legacy, Social impact, Environmental impact, Economic development, Developing countries
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper examines the implementation and effectiveness of sustainable practices at large-scale sporting events, specifically focusing on the challenges faced by developing nations using the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as a case study.
What are the primary themes discussed in the text?
The work covers environmental conservation, social development through sports, economic investment versus outcomes, and the overall sustainability legacy left by mega-events in developing regions.
What is the central research question?
The research asks: Can sustainability be achieved at mega-sport events in developing countries?
Which theoretical framework is employed for the analysis?
The paper utilizes the Triple Bottom Line Model, which breaks down performance into three dimensions: social (People), environmental (Planet), and economic (Profit).
What aspects are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body defines sustainability within the context of sports, explains the Triple Bottom Line framework, and provides a detailed case study of the 2010 South African World Cup, assessing its social, environmental, and economic outcomes.
Which keywords best describe this academic work?
Key terms include Sustainability, Mega-sport events, 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa, Triple Bottom Line, Event Legacy, and Sustainable development.
What did the analysis reveal about the social impact of the 2010 World Cup?
The study notes a temporary sense of national unity and some positive initiatives like the '20 Centres for 2010', but highlights that these benefits were often short-lived and failed to address long-term socio-economic issues like housing for the poor.
How does the author evaluate the environmental sustainability of the event?
The author argues that while there were attempts to be 'green', the high carbon footprint caused by intercontinental travel and the lack of measurable long-term targets rendered many efforts more performative than impactful.
What is the author's final verdict on the economic success of the tournament?
The paper suggests that the event was costly, with economic benefits largely reaching the elite, and questions whether the significant public funds invested could have been more effectively used for basic social needs like education and health.
- Quote paper
- Remi Bauer (Author), 2012, Sustainability at mega-sport events in developing countries on the example of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/268657
