Visiting Scholar Outlines Role of Mega Sports Events in Developing Economies

BY: .

Visiting Scholar to the School of Built Environment and Development Studies (BEDS) and Senior Researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) Mr Einar Braathen recently presented a paper titled “Cities of Exception: the role of mega sports events in the BRICS countries, with a particular focus on Brazil before the FIFA 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics” at the School’s seminar series.

According to Braathen, over the last decade, all the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have invested enormous financial resources and political prestige in hosting mega sports events.

‘There is a trend whereby mega sports events and so-called “emerging economies” grow closer. These countries combine three crucial elements: availability of resources; an ambition to strengthen their image as an emerging power worldwide; and relative weakness of institutions which protect the environment and human rights.’

‘The combination of these elements enables host cities to abide by the “package” of interventions that international organising committees such as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) require.’

He described the way in which cities compete on the global stage for investments. Thereafter, he explained how mega sports events have become a central strategy for cities in the South to brand themselves as ‘global cities’.

‘The inherent characteristics of hosting such events, which demand flexible planning to respond to the demands of private investors, challenges existing institutional frameworks and democratic governance,’ he said.

Braathen argued that mega sports events are increasingly aligned with large private interests, strengthening neo-liberal city management practices in terms of ‘urban entrepreneurship’, and suppressing the demands and rights of ordinary citizens.

‘The right to the city has become a slogan for movements worldwide which fight against the manifestations of many modern cities in which public processes and utilities have been privatised and where development is driven primarily if not solely by corporations and markets. In protesting these tendencies, practices of insurgent citizenship have become the means through which the urban margins negotiate and contest their right to universal inclusion.’

In his closing remarks, Braathen said: ‘Civil society has gained some small victories with protests, but there have been no profound changes in the urban regime. The “Olympic project” [in Rio de Janeiro] continues to dominate the city governance.’

‘The history of Vila Autôdromo Favela [in Rio], which has gone through numerous threats of removal and guarantees of permanence, shows that a promise today might very well be challenged in the future. Civil society will have to keep up the pressure to guarantee that the politicians stick to their promises.’

Melissa Mungroo