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The Olympics and the Environment

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The Palgrave Handbook of Olympic Studies

Abstract

For Roche1 Olympic Games are global mega-events that represent current expressions of universal world views, such as human rights and environmentalism. As far as the latter - universal - worldview is concerned, considering that the rise of environmental concern among Western publics can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s, the IOC has been extremely slow in adapting its procedures regarding the factoring of that growing concern into the award of the Games. For instance, public referenda held in Denver turned down the IOC’s offer to host the 1976 Winter Games on the basis of environmentally destructive practices.2

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© 2012 John Karamichas

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Karamichas, J. (2012). The Olympics and the Environment. In: Lenskyj, H.J., Wagg, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Olympic Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230367463_24

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