ABSTRACT
The opening chapter introduces the student to the study of crisis and disaster management within the context of the sports industry, and more specifically with reference to international sports events (ISEs). It starts by explaining the structure and rationale for the book and provides a contextual overview of each chapter. It then starts to explore the different levels of analysis of studies on ISEs and their interaction with studies on crisis and disaster management. Following this, the chapter then provides a working definition of the concept of resilience and its applicability in a sport-related setting. The chapter includes a case study that critiques the initial impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on international sports events during 2020. It concludes with the introduction of an ‘International Sports and Venue Resilience Continuum Model’, which helps the reader to better understand the concept of resilience within a sport setting.
