In the pursuit of success, Belgian athletes are preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Sport governing managers, sport federations, public-private partners, coaches, friends, family, all of them have to more or less extent contributed to create the circumstances for athletes to perform at their best in Tokyo. Also, society as a whole (e.g. by Belgian taxpayers) are indirect sport funders, invest their share and look forward being proud of the performances of Belgium athletes. The athlete may obtain a medal, but how are and can efforts of the athletes be returned to societal communities? Are Belgians more proud, experience senses of belonging or feel inspired to participate in sports themselves? And can these returns to society be reinforced by relevant stakeholders?
The relationship between elite sport and sport-for-all, as well as the impact of Olympic success or athletes as role models on society are under researched and existing evidence is anecdotal. Instead of focusing on whether or not elite sport impacts society, this Baillet Latour programme aims to identify if, how, when and to what extent elite sport impacts on society and if effects can be reinforced by purposeful policy and managerial actions and interventions. Specific attention will be paid to the societal effects of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, if successful Olympic disciplines and athletic role models can inspire youth to be more active in sport, and be used as a means for personal growth and social development of socially vulnerable groups in society.
By the identification of good practices, this Baillet Latour programme attempts to contribute to embedding Olympism into various aspects of society.
this Baillet Latour programme aims to identify if, how, and under what circumstances that (Olympic) success and athletes as role models (can) impact on society and if effects can be reinforced by purposeful policy and managerial actions and interventions. Specific attention will be paid to the societal effects of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, (a) if successful Olympic disciplines and athletic role models can inspire the Belgian population to be more active in sport, and (b) be used as a means for personal growth and social development of socially vulnerable groups in society. The proposed Baillet Latour project is part of a wider, programme runned at the VUB by the Sport and Society (SASO) group.
As such, the questions posed are:
-How can the National Olympic Committee, governments, national/regional sport federations and other organizations ( e.g. companies/ charity organizations) make use of the successes and Olympians to benefit a wider society in Belgium?
-How can Olympic Games, elite sport success and athletes as role models impact on sports programmes to encourage personal growth and social development of groups in vulnerable situations (youth at risk) in society?
-How can top-level success and Olympians inspire young people to start with a sport (attraction), to stay into sport (retention) and encourage young talents to become better athletes?
-How can the synergy between elite sport and sport-for-all in Belgium be strengthened?
-How can elite sport success, athletes as role models impact on sports programmes to encourage personal growth and social development of socially vulnerable groups?
In order to do so, this project will first:
•(a) define what the societal impact of elite sport is or can be, in particular for the Belgian population (see further);
•(b) identify the mechanisms that influence (both positively and negatively) the inspiration effect that elite sport (can) have; develop insights under what circumstances effects (can) occur;