A Doctoral Thesis Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University

The aim of this study was to examine Icelandic elite athletes’ experiences in regard to the Olympic Games (OG)-2012. More specifically the focus was on the OG as a career transition process covering several phases in the Olympic cycle, having the Games as its culmination and followed by a career change. The athletic career transition model, the holistic lifespan perspective and temporal structure of the Olympic cycle guided retrospective interviews with six Icelandic athletes who (some years ago) were candidates to take part in the OG-2012. Among the six participants three were successful in the OG-2012, one was less successful and two participants prepared but were not qualified for the OG. Holistic-content and categorical-content analyses resulted in: (a) six core narratives describing and interpreting each athlete’s individual pathway through preliminary/basic preparation, selection process, Olympic season, the Games, and post-Games periods, and (b) sixteen themes following athletes’ major foci in each transition phase (e.g., “gaining international experience” and “getting financial support” in the preliminary/basic preparation, etc.) and also the transition resources perceived by athletes as necessary during the whole Olympic cycle (“prioritizing sports while balancing sport with work/school”, “organizational support” and “family support”).  Results are discussed in relation to the theoretical frameworks, previous research, and Icelandic context.

Specifically, this study is about the effects of culture, organisational culture and postmodernism on the Olympic Games and the perceptions of Australian Olympic athletes, both past and present and their understanding of the culture of the Olympic Games. The focus of this research examines the culture of the Olympic Games and provides insights into the background of the Games from Australian athlete's perspective. The study explores this theme further in order to understand those areas of culture which Australian athletes rarely get the opportunity to talk about and thereby offers the occasion to open new avenues for research into the culture of organisations, such as the International Olympic Committee. Furthermore, the thesis probes into the culture of the Olympic Games using the theoretical structures of Organisational Culture and Postmodernism to provide a better understanding and knowledge base for the discipline. Also, the research reports upon the athlete's perspectives in the light of the two previous theoretical structures. In spite of these previous points, little is known regarding the cultural aspects of the Olympic Games and even less is known of the culture of the Olympic Games from the athletes' perspective. Participants in an Olympic Games - athletes, officials, dignitaries, press, technicians and support personnel all experience the cultural mix of individuals at the Games first hand. However, it would certainly be of importance to understand how athletes communicate and relate to each other and how all participants within the Olympic Games organisation relate and communicate with each other. However, there is a need to acknowledge that politics exists within the Olympic Games and that its existence should be brought out of the background and placed on the agenda so that political action within the Games can be avoided in order that they might function more effectively and at a higher standard. A knowledge of culture and politics and the pitfalls and problems associated with change in the Olympic Games would support the building between individual athletes rather than allow conflict and competition to occur. This implies that, if individuals can work together without having to consider politics, then the system will benefit.

Title: The Environmental aspects of the Olympic Games Objectives: The main aim of this thesis is to explore the importace of environment within the Olympic Games. The organizational solutions summary defines the formal requirements, the real efficiency of this effort is tracked and crucial factors that influence current situation are identified. Methods: The qualitative research was based on the strategic documents content analysis. These findings are enriched by controlled interviews with members of Czech Olympic Movement. Results: The results clarify the background of environmental activities related to the Olympic Games procedures. Theoretical approach is interlinked with real outcomes which indicate to what extend is this issue taken into consideration at the sport event. Keywords: Qualitative research, environment, International Olympic C

This research examines the ways in which the Vancouver Olympics emblem, an Inuit inuksuk, and other Aboriginal symbols have been ‘adopted’ by the organizers of the 2010 Winter Olympics, how visual and textual Aboriginal representations have been incorporated into the public education mandate of the Games, and how this relates to the Aboriginal Participation Goals of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC). I use Freirian critical cultural pedagogy and Foucauldian theories along with a visual research method, semiotic analysis, as a way to examine the material presented on the official Vancouver 2010 Olympic website and related websites. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

Master of Arts / Department of History / Heather L. McCrea / This thesis highlights the consequences of the 1980 US boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow from the perspective of the Olympic boxers. Beginning with a review of scholarly work on the Olympics and their surrounding politics, I outline how the White House, under President Jimmy Carter, manipulated the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) into supporting a boycott. I conclude that the political actions of the Carter Administration affected an entire nation's participation in an Olympic event. Exploring the socio-political circumstances surrounding the 1980 US Olympic boycott, my study seeks to answer three questions: First, what political tactics did the Carter Administration use to implement a boycott designed to pressure Russia to withdraw troops from Afghanistan? Manipulation of the USOC and threats to cut funding pushed compliance with Carter's agenda. As a result, the Carter administration’s actions included using US boxer Muhammad Ali as a pawn in an effort to persuade athletes to support a boycott. Few athletes felt comfortable speaking out against such high-level political strategies. Historically, the US denounced any nation's attempt to use the Olympic Games to make a political statement; this was exemplified in the US’s decision to send black and Jewish athletes to the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, despite the obvious dangers these athletes faced in the midst of the Nazi regime. As noted in the German press, allowing “wooly-haired niggers with protruding lips” to compete with Aryans was a disgrace. Second, what was the real reason Carter sought a boycott? The Carter Administration saw participation in the Moscow Games as “…signify[ing] an attitude of indifference toward the continuing occupation of Afghanistan by Soviet troops.” One possible explanation of the boycott, then, was to raise awareness about human rights atrocities within the Soviet Union and beyond during the Moscow Games. Perhaps the boycott was Carter’s desperate last effort to revive his presidential reputation after several instances of critical failure as President of the United States, including the Iranian-US hostage outrage (1979), the failed US hostage rescue attempt (1980), and economic inflation so extreme it contributed to a dramatic downward spiral in Carter’s re-election poll numbers. Third, what was the real impact of the 1980 Olympic boycott? How did athletes and coaches become victims of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the US government? For many of the prospective medalists, a boycott permanently slammed shut the only open window of opportunity and robbed them of potential fame and financial gain. My work shows that the 1980 boycott not only strained international relations, but also significantly altered the lives of the athletes, coaches, and teams beyond the 1980 Olympics.

The focus of this report is directed to the consideration of the problems related to the difference between commitment of International Olympic Committee to better environmental approach and actual environmental performance of Olympic Games which suppose to follow this commitment since the Games of the year 2002. Mostly qualitative research methodology was utilized in this study. It was based on the interviews with representatives of Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund, the organizations which are involved in environmental assessment of Olympic Games; exploration of the environmental requirements from International Olympic Committee for carrying out Olympic Games and changes in these requirements through years; evaluation of environmental performance of the past Olympic Games which needed to follow environmental commitment. The research showed that despite continuously improvement in the requirements through years the Host Cities are still managing to fail the preparation of environmental side of the Games. The unsolved problem of still vague requirements was revealed; lack of communication between Non-Government Organizations, which actually give environmental assessment of Olympic Games, and International Olympic Committee was discovered and some political issues were discussed. After the carried work it is recommended to enforce the cooperation between Non-Government Organizations and International Olympic Committee and create common system for evaluation of environmental performance, state more clear requirements for the ecological organization of Olympic Games and change focus from environment to sustainability.

Title: Motivations and objectives of the Czech Olympic team partners Supervisor: Mgr. William Crossan PhD Objectives: The aim of the thesis is to identify motivations of companies for entering into partnership with the Czech Olympic team. Furthermore, to examine objectives sought through the sponsorship agreement and determine their importance for each company. Findings are subsequently compared with those of similar studies made in past. Part of this thesis is dedicated to the analysis of marketing of the Czech Olympic committee and partners opinion concerning the Olympic park Sochi - Letná 2014. Methods: Qualitative research through semi-structured interviews conducted with sponsor representatives and the marketing director of the Czech Olympic committee. In-depth study of similarly oriented sponsor motivation research was also made. Sponsors were also asked to rank the importance of given sponsorship objectives. Results: The main motivation behind the decision to become a Czech Olympic team partner was found to be the connection with a strong, unique brand, as well as the desire to exploit the positive perception of the Olympic attributes with the possibility of its transfer to the partner. The most important objectives found were increasing brand value and enhancing company image. Another...

Title: Analysis of the bidding process of Prague for Summer Olympic Games 2016 Objectives: The aim of this thesis is the analysis of Prague's bid for Summer Olympic Games 2016, the following determination of main causes of his failure and than a suggestion of the future steps leading towards the future organisation of Olympic Games. Methods: We have used three managerial methods in this thesis. It was at first the system approach that identifies all stakeholders and their relations, which are all connected. This method permits to understand our subject as a complete system. After that SWOT analysis of the bid and the Fishbone diagram was used to identify main causes of the bid's failure. Results: Main six causes were identified that have caused the failure of the Prague's bid. These causes are more a kind of internal serious problems that show that Prague is not ready yet for organising Olympic Games. Following suggestions for future steps are reacting on these results. The aim of that is to make a long-term strategy to improve the environment and relations between the sport and state and prepare good conditions in the country for the next Olympic bid. Keywords: Olympic Games, bid, causes, sport, Prague, Czech Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee

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