A Theoretical Approach for the Olympic Legacy Study Focusing on Sustainable Sport Legacy

The management of the Olympic Games has changed significantly since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The introduction of commercialisation probably saved the Olympic Games from a fateful crisis. It brought financial stability and attracted cities to bid for the Games. On the other hand, the impact of hosting the Olympic Games increased as more stakeholders became involved in its management. In addition, the global community became concerned about environmental issues. Global organisations including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were required to take actions towards sustainable development. In this context, the debate regarding the Olympic legacy became of interest among stakeholders and researchers. The IOC introduced indicators to measure impact and legacy, which is now referred to as Olympic Games Impact (OGI). However, there are some issues in the current OGI study. This paper aims to suggest a theoretical approach which would contribute to solve the issues by focusing on sustainable sport legacy as an example. The proposed theoretical approach is focusing on event objective and analysing the relationship between sport policy and sport legacy development concentrated on the process and opportunity rather than the outcome.