ABSTRACT
This paper presents a first-hand experience of the 2004 Athens International Olympic Flame Relay (IOFR) from the perspective of one of the Greek team members who accompanied the flame. It provides a rich description of the mechanics of the relay itself, demonstrating that it involved complex international exchanges. It is about much more than the torchbearers. The author describes life on the road with the flame, highlighting the cultural, political, and personal challenges entailed in this endeavour. It explores the tensions: between sponsor interests and the spirit of Olympism; from professional ‘world’s best practices’ implementation of the relay to volunteers’ expectations of their roles and experiences; and in the division of labour between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and Olympic Games Organizing Committees (OCOGs) as stakeholders.
