ABSTRACT
A number of chapters of this study have already argued that sport has always provided a useful mechanism for reminding people and nations precisely where they stand in relation to one another. The close association of sporting prowess with national progress is not by chance, given that the modern sporting form developed its central ideologies and modes of governance in line with the formation of the nation-state and industrial capitalism. The global dissemination of sport followed the trails of trade, empire and Christian mission. Not surprisingly, the Olympic Movement emerged at the height of the age of colonialism and has proven to outlast all the great transformations of the world system during the 20th century. Like the capitalist ‘quest for accumulation’, it has constantly widened its sphere of influence, searching for new markets and additional programming. Its flagship event, the Olympic Games, has become a significant component of global culture, reaching out to many millions spectators simultaneously. Hardly any other cultural spectacle of contemporary times is of greater appeal, 2 with the possible exception of the Men's Football World Cup.
