ABSTRACT
The purpose of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to world peace by educating youth through sport and by developing mutual understanding and a spirit of friendship and fair play. The Olympic Movement is also a moneymaker, generating $5.45 billion from broadcast rights, ticket sales, official sponsorships, and other marketing and licensing efforts during the 2005–2008 quadrennium (IOC, 2012b). In the 2009–2012 quadrennium, broadcast revenue alone totaled $3.9 billion, and The Olympic Program (TOP) sponsorships generated $957 million (IOC, 2012b). Governance of such a large and ongoing international undertaking is understandably complex. This chapter will examine the legal structure and relationships of the many governing bodies that participate in the Olympic Movement. It will also discuss the impact of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 and the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998 on Olympic governance within the United States. Finally, the authority of Olympic governing bodies to regulate events and participants will be examined. Exhibit 12.1 presents the management contexts, legal issues, and relevant law discussed in this chapter.
