Olympic city bidding: An exegesis of power

Abstract

In this article I analyse the bidding process to host the olympics as a complex set of power relationships between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and candidate cities. My analysis looks at both macro-political conditions and relationships and the micro-motives and psychological predilections of IOC members and the principals of candidate cities. Unlike traditional political studies that largely infer the goals and ambitions of individual members from the IOC's collective interests, my approach considers the psychological basis of these interactions on its own terms. This interpretation loosely follows an interactive model of power and influence developed by Bertram Raven and grounded in political psychology. Importantly, the bidding process for olympic hosting rights provides insights into the omnipresent nature of power and its different forms that operate across macro- and micro-levels of society. © International Sociology of Sport Association and SAGE Publications 2011.