The Olympic Games and raising sport participation: a systematic review of evidence and an interrogation of policy for a demonstration effect

Abstract

Research questions: Can a demonstration effect, whereby people are inspired by elite sport, sports people and events to actively participate themselves, be harnessed from an Olympic Games to influence sport participation? Did London 2012 sport participation legacy policy draw on evidence about a demonstration effect, and was a legacy delivered? Research methods: A worldwide systematic review of English language evidence returned 1778 sources iteratively reduced by the author panel, on advice from an international review panel to 21 included sources that were quality appraised and synthesised narratively. The evidence was used to examine the influence of a demonstration effect on sport participation engagement and to interrogate sport participation legacy policy for London 2012. Results and findings: There is no evidence for an inherent demonstration effect, but a potential demonstration effect, properly leveraged, may deliver increases in sport participation frequency and re-engage lapsed participants. Despite setting out to use London 2012 to raise sport participation, successive UK Governments' policy failures to harness the potential influence of a demonstration effect on demand resulted in failure to deliver increased participation. Implications: If the primary justification for hosting an Olympic Games is the potential impact on sport participation, the Games are a bad investment. However, the Games can have specific impacts on sport participation frequency and re-engagement, and if these are desirable for host societies, are properly leveraged by hosts, and are one among a number of reasons for hosting the Games, then the Games may be a justifiable investment in sport participation terms.

An observational study of spectators’ step counts and reasons for attending a professional golf tournament in Scotland

“…5 Major multi-sport games have failed to achieve an inherent, substantial PA legacy. 6 Measures that could help address this lack of legacy include (1) producing a clear strategy to increase participation and (2) de-emphasising the sporting element and promoting PA more generally (for example, walking) rather than simply the sport being played. 7 8 Golf can provide a novel and suitable narrative to provide a link between sport, walking and potential health benefits.…”

Educational Olympic Challenge: the Legacy of Public Sport Participation

“…Research findings (Weed et al 2015) have shown that demonstration effect will result in increasing the frequency of participation of people who are already engaged in sport/physical activity. Also, the demonstration effect would not bring new participants to start in activity.…”

“…While summarizing former studies, Weed et al (2015) presented some conclusions on the processes of demonstration effect. It seems that demonstration effect increased participation frequency among people that were already engaged in physical activity, but had no influence on those with no previous intention to engage in sport or physical activity.…”

“…Thus, people viewing elite sport competitions can lose their confidence and their motivation to participate in sport/physical activity. That problem can possibly be solved by adding coverage of none elite sport along with the elite performances shown in the Olympic Games broadcasting (Boardley 2013;Weed et al 2015).…”

“…The process of demonstration effect is taking place when people are inspired to participate in sport activity through observation of elite sport, sports people or sport events. Although being difficult to verify, the demonstration effect has widespread acceptance (Weed et al 2015).…”