The Olympic Games are now characterized by overt displays of military personnel and hardware, the deployment of new surveillance technologies and policing techniques, and rapidly escalating budgets. Yet, most research on security at these urban events has been confined to the sociology of sport or the applied profession of sport management. This dissertation contextualizes the Olympic Games within current debates about security in the post-9/11 environment, and asks what the Games reveal about developments in security, surveillance, and urban governance. At the same time I also ask how the Olympics reinforce and extend these developments in socio-cultural ways. These questions are pursued through four analyses of different aspects of the Games: practices of socio-spatial regulation in Olympic host cities, ideas of resiliency and preparedness in urban governance, the performative dimensions of precautionary governance, and the production and globalization of security expertise. I conclude by suggesting that the Olympics provide a window into future directions in urban security governance.

Nationalism and globalisation are two topics of great debate. In an increasingly connected world, these concepts are contrasted as opposites unable to coexist with a rise in one there must be a fall in the other. In this study, these concepts are explored alongside Olympism through the medium of the Olympic Games. Historically, the Olympics are structured around nations/nation-states, and national teams, while still attempting to promote universalism, internationalism, and the unity of humankind. This work aims to explore how and why nationalism, Olympism, and globalisation are expressed in the Olympic Movement through a case study of the London 2012 Olympic Games and what the outcomes of these actions are. Backed by an interpretivist paradigm, this study focused on selected events in the lead-up to the London Games, starting in the summer of 2011, and culminated with a prolonged period of observation at the London Games, both at Olympic venues and the live site at Hyde Park. Throughout the course of data collection there was a focus on not only the institutions staging the Games but also the spectators taking part in them.

This thesis investigates how male and female athletes competing in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro were portrayed in two British and two American newspapers (The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post). It also examines how the total amount of coverage was distributed between athletes of each gender. Previous studies have shown that female athletes are not given as much space as male athletes (Jones, 2004, Caple, Greenwood, & Lumby, 2011, Godoy-Pressland 2014) and that when they are reported on, not portrayed in the same way as male athletes (Eagleman, 2015). This can have negative effects for athletes and their sport (Knight & Giuliano, 2011). For this essay, a corpus was created out of articles from the four newspapers, which were subsequently analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings showed a greater equality in the amount of coverage provided by newspapers than had been shown by previous studies, but with such a small sample, results could not be generalised widely. For the qualitative analysis, articles from two specific events were analysed and determined to not contain any major differences between males and females, with only one exception, which was Los Angeles Times’ article on the women’s artistic gymnastics team all-around event.

The purpose of this study is to examine four Swedish newspapers views on female athletes in the Olympic Games in Mexico City 1968 and Barcelona 1992, and examine what information the Swedish public received through their reporting about the Olympic Games in Mexico City and Barcelona. The study is based on printed editions of the Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet, Expressen, Kvällsposten and Idag.   The study is a quantitative content analysis, containing a total number of 68 articles. In this paper the theoretical perspective is based on the framing theory, where the focus is how the female athletics were depicted in the Swedish press.   The results show that the Swedish newspapers want to portray and communicate about the female athletics performance, which applies to both the Olympic Games in 1968 and 1992. However, there were news reports in both Olympics that focused more on reproducing the female participant's appearance rather than their athletic performance. The results also show that there are only slight differences in each newspapers framing of female athletics in the Olympic Games in Mexico City 1968. The most usual descriptions based on my results are that female athletics are beautiful, girls and small. The result of this paper shows that is possible to perceive a change of the most common descriptions in the Olympics Games in Barcelona 1992. In the Olympics 1992 framing as doped and civil state began to more usual in the news that was about female athletics.

In my thesis I will focus on all the successes of Czech and Czechoslovak athletes at the Olympics in the javelin. I also want to briefly describe the history and development of this discipline. Furthermore, I will also describe modern technology of javelin and physiological description. Nevertheless, the main part will be about our Olympic heroes in this technically very demanding discipline. In this part, there will be mainly detailed course of the race at the Olympics, where they have had any success. My thesis will also include a biography of these prominent Athletes.

O esporte contemporâneo tem nos Jogos Olímpicos o seu maior evento e sua evolução na Era Moderna aconteceu quase que completamente durante o Século XX. Os boicotes às edições dos Jogos Olímpicos são manifestações que exemplificam as relações políticas presentes no esporte e seu estudo é bastante esclarecedor. O maior boicote ocorrido foi proposto pelos Estados Unidos em 1980, aos Jogos realizados na extinta União Soviética. Na ocasião houve grande redução no número de participantes e um abalo nas estruturas do Movimento Olímpico. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o contexto político do boicote aos Jogos de Moscou, sobretudo no que diz respeito ao posicionamento do Brasil. Para a realização do estudo foi selecionado um dos principais jornais brasileiros (Folha de São Paulo) e dele se retirou os dados que vão o desde a segunda quinzena do mês de dezembro de 1979, com a ocupação soviética do Afeganistão (23/12/1979), até a primeira quinzena do mês de agosto de 1980, encerramento dos Jogos Olímpicos de Moscou (03/08/1980). Embora o Brasil desenvolvesse uma posição de alinhamento à política norte-americana na Guerra Fria, optou por não aderir ao boicote comercial, nem ao olímpico enviando uma grande delegação a Moscou. O governo militar brasileiro agiu de maneira pragmática preferindo lucrar com a ausência de norte-americanos e europeus tanto no campo comercial quanto esportivo / The Olympic Games is the biggest event in contemporary sports and the 20th century was the stage where most of the evolution of the Olympic Games of The Modern Age happened. The boycotts to the Olympic Games are manifestations that exemplify the relationship between sport and politics and studying it brings light to the subject. To this day, the biggest boycott was the one that the United States promoted against the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympic Games. In that occurrence there were a significant reduction in the number of participants as well as a profound impact to the Olympic Movement structures. The purpose of these research is to analyse the politic context of the Moscow`s Olympic Boycott, with special attention for the brazilian position. The research was made in one of the most important brazilian newspapers (Folha de São Paulo), in the final editions of 1979, period of the sovietic occupation on Afghanistan, until august of 1980, period of the end of Moscow Olympic Games. In spite of the pressure from the United States, Brazil decided not to join the boycott, exposing an internal movement that the country was going through, which was a period of delicate economical issues, and the country was not capable of deny the economical advantages of relation with Soviet Union

Mesmo que seja impossível determinar as origens das práticas atléticas na Grécia antiga, podemos dizer que elas existiam e faziam parte do cotidiano daquele povo naquela época, como nos demonstram as obras de Homero. Por isso, os sacerdotes daqueles antigos rituais decidiram realizar uma competição atlética para determinar quem seria incumbido de concluir o cerimonial. Eles acreditavam que nada de importante acontecia sem a interferência dos deuses, portanto, os vencedores de cada competição venciam, porque assim estava determinado pelo seu destino, tornando-os heróis, e consequentemente, escolhido dos deuses. Por isso, as origens dos principais rituais eram atribuídas aos heróis mitológicos, cuja estrutura cosmogônica de Hesíodo os coloca a um nível superior de existência. Então, além de buscar a re-atualização do gesto sagrado realizado na origem, procurando dar continuidade ao mundo tal como eles o conheciam, os cerimoniais ao mesmo tempo re-atualizavam a ação dos heróis em um momento mítico, que se confundia com a realidade. Dessa maneira, os Jogos foram a materialização desta estrutura mitológica, tendo nos heróis a consolidação desta imagem, ao mesmo tempo em que proporcionava o caráter de humanidade que lhe rendeu toda sua grandiosidade / Even that being impossible to determine the origins of the athletic practices in the ancient Greece, we can say that they exited and were part of the daily of that people at that time, as show us the Homers poetry. Therefore, the priests of those ancient rituals had decided to make an athletic competition to determine who would be charged to conclude the ceremonial. They believed that nothing of important happened without the gods interference, therefore, the winners of each competition were successful, because thus were determined by its destination, becoming heroes, and consequently, chosen by the gods. Therefore, the origins of the main rituals were attributed to the mythological heroes, whose Hesiods cosmogonic structure, place them in a superior level of existence. Then, beyond to search the reactualization of the sacred act realized at the origin, looking for to give continuity to the world as they knew the ceremonials at the same time re-actualize the heroes action at a mythical moment, that it confuse with the reality. In this way, the Games had been the materialization of that mythological structure, having in the heroes the consolidation of that image, at the same time that it provides the humanity character that relieved it all its greatness

Mesmo que seja impossível determinar as origens das práticas atléticas na Grécia antiga, podemos dizer que elas existiam e faziam parte do cotidiano daquele povo naquela época, como nos demonstram as obras de Homero. Por isso, os sacerdotes daqueles antigos rituais decidiram realizar uma competição atlética para determinar quem seria incumbido de concluir o cerimonial. Eles acreditavam que nada de importante acontecia sem a interferência dos deuses, portanto, os vencedores de cada competição venciam, porque assim estava determinado pelo seu destino, tornando-os heróis, e consequentemente, escolhido dos deuses. Por isso, as origens dos principais rituais eram atribuídas aos heróis mitológicos, cuja estrutura cosmogônica de Hesíodo os coloca a um nível superior de existência. Então, além de buscar a re-atualização do gesto sagrado realizado na origem, procurando dar continuidade ao mundo tal como eles o conheciam, os cerimoniais ao mesmo tempo re-atualizavam a ação dos heróis em um momento mítico, que se confundia com a realidade. Dessa maneira, os Jogos foram a materialização desta estrutura mitológica, tendo nos heróis a consolidação desta imagem, ao mesmo tempo em que proporcionava o caráter de humanidade que lhe rendeu toda sua grandiosidade / Even that being impossible to determine the origins of the athletic practices in the ancient Greece, we can say that they exited and were part of the daily of that people at that time, as show us the Homers poetry. Therefore, the priests of those ancient rituals had decided to make an athletic competition to determine who would be charged to conclude the ceremonial. They believed that nothing of important happened without the gods interference, therefore, the winners of each competition were successful, because thus were determined by its destination, becoming heroes, and consequently, chosen by the gods. Therefore, the origins of the main rituals were attributed to the mythological heroes, whose Hesiods cosmogonic structure, place them in a superior level of existence. Then, beyond to search the reactualization of the sacred act realized at the origin, looking for to give continuity to the world as they knew the ceremonials at the same time re-actualize the heroes action at a mythical moment, that it confuse with the reality. In this way, the Games had been the materialization of that mythological structure, having in the heroes the consolidation of that image, at the same time that it provides the humanity character that relieved it all its greatness

O esporte contemporâneo tem nos Jogos Olímpicos o seu maior evento e sua evolução na Era Moderna aconteceu quase que completamente durante o Século XX. Os boicotes às edições dos Jogos Olímpicos são manifestações que exemplificam as relações políticas presentes no esporte e seu estudo é bastante esclarecedor. O maior boicote ocorrido foi proposto pelos Estados Unidos em 1980, aos Jogos realizados na extinta União Soviética. Na ocasião houve grande redução no número de participantes e um abalo nas estruturas do Movimento Olímpico. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o contexto político do boicote aos Jogos de Moscou, sobretudo no que diz respeito ao posicionamento do Brasil. Para a realização do estudo foi selecionado um dos principais jornais brasileiros (Folha de São Paulo) e dele se retirou os dados que vão o desde a segunda quinzena do mês de dezembro de 1979, com a ocupação soviética do Afeganistão (23/12/1979), até a primeira quinzena do mês de agosto de 1980, encerramento dos Jogos Olímpicos de Moscou (03/08/1980). Embora o Brasil desenvolvesse uma posição de alinhamento à política norte-americana na Guerra Fria, optou por não aderir ao boicote comercial, nem ao olímpico enviando uma grande delegação a Moscou. O governo militar brasileiro agiu de maneira pragmática preferindo lucrar com a ausência de norte-americanos e europeus tanto no campo comercial quanto esportivo / The Olympic Games is the biggest event in contemporary sports and the 20th century was the stage where most of the evolution of the Olympic Games of The Modern Age happened. The boycotts to the Olympic Games are manifestations that exemplify the relationship between sport and politics and studying it brings light to the subject. To this day, the biggest boycott was the one that the United States promoted against the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympic Games. In that occurrence there were a significant reduction in the number of participants as well as a profound impact to the Olympic Movement structures. The purpose of these research is to analyse the politic context of the Moscow`s Olympic Boycott, with special attention for the brazilian position. The research was made in one of the most important brazilian newspapers (Folha de São Paulo), in the final editions of 1979, period of the sovietic occupation on Afghanistan, until august of 1980, period of the end of Moscow Olympic Games. In spite of the pressure from the United States, Brazil decided not to join the boycott, exposing an internal movement that the country was going through, which was a period of delicate economical issues, and the country was not capable of deny the economical advantages of relation with Soviet Union

This Thesis undertakes a leverage analysis of mega-events in the context of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. A leverage analysis apparently different from a impact analysis; it focuses on how to maximize the potential positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts for an event that will be held in the future. To analyze the circumstance of the Beijing Olympics that are amendable to leveraging, the research methodology employed is empirical with method of semi-structured in-depth interviews with the government officials, tourism industry people and the local community members in Beijing. This thesis research conducted a leveraging analysis from three perspectives: environmental, socio-cultural, and tourism/economic perspectives. From each perspective, four angles would be investigated: identifying the potential impacts of 2008 Olympics; determining the leveraging activities for the potential impacts; uncovering the opportunities for leveraging the potential impacts, and exploring the challenges in leveraging the potential impacts. Because there is not any existing theory on a leverage analysis in the context of Beijing Olympic Games, this research was conducted with the guidance of "grounded theory". The research indicated that the government aims to take use of the opportunity of hosting the "Green Olympics" to reap the ambition of making Beijing into a "greener" city, but how long would the policies last when the games are over is essential for the effectiveness. Similarly, the socio-culture would be leveraged by implementing the "People's Olympic" theme. Finally, the tourism in Beijing would be leveraged by a series of leveraging activities derived form the Olympic Games. The findings of this thesis research will contribute to the event studies and the leveraging studies.