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University of Windsor
Olympic hosts need to walk the talk, researcher says
Hosting the Olympics can be a catalyst for positive social change but cities need to deliver on the promises they make about how the games can improve the lives of their citizens, according to a kinesiology researcher.~
“Cities need to make sure that the people who are affected most by hosting the games are included in the process right from the very beginning,” said Laura Misener, an assistant professor in human kinetics who left for Vancouver this morning to attend two conferences on the Olympics and the Paralympics.
One of those conferences, hosted by the University of British Columbia, deals with sport and society, while the other, a symposium hosted by Human Resources Development Canada, is focused more on accessibility issues.
Misener said the Paralympics — which run from March 12 to 21 in Vancouver — provide a rare opportunity not only to improve physical conditions for people with disabilities, but to lessen the impacts of the many social and economic barriers that currently exist for them. |
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Laura Misener |
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“It really does a lot for people in terms creating understanding about what their needs are,” she said.
For the first time in the history of the International Olympic Committee, a city was required to conduct a social impact assessment as part of its bid to host the games, and while Vancouver did a good job of vowing that its recently concluded winter games would improve living conditions, she’s concerned there may not be enough follow-up.
“I applaud their efforts but one of my central concerns is that what they said upfront may not come to fruition, especially in terms of housing and employment opportunities,” she said.