Networking in Olympic Studies: current situation and proposals for development and cooperation

The Department of Information Management of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) commissioned CEO-UAB to develop a study about Olympic Studies on a global scale to analyse the opportunity for the IOC to promote an international network in Olympic Studies. The project was undertaken in 2004-2005.

The final purpose of this network is to enhance knowledge about the evolution of the Olympic Movement and to increase the dissemination of the Olympic values through improved communication and collaboration between organisations and individuals involved in Olympic studies.

The main goals of the UAB’s study were to identify actors and opportunities for the development of Olympic Studies within the network and to make recommendations as to the strategic and practical management of this network to maximize its effectiveness in promoting cooperation.

The methodology adopted combined primary and secondary data collection and analysis. The main data sources included organisational publications and documents, as well as existing academic research. Leading actors in Olympic Studies were contacted to obtain primary data as well as a more strategic perspective, including the IOC Research Council members. Results were divided into two main parts:

Olympic Studies actors

• IOC Olympic Studies Centre
• University-based institutional initiatives
• IOA and National Olympic Academies
• OCOGs and hosting organisations
• Individual experts
• Scientific and professional associations
• Libraries and information services

Olympic Studies activities

• Research projects and areas of interest
• University-based teaching and training programmes
• Olympic Education programmes
• Conferences, congresses and symposia
• Publications
• Information and documentation products
• Olympism on the Internet