Winning Medals at Olympic Games: Socio-Economic, Demographic, Political and Environmental Influences

Abstract

This particular study titled, ?Winning medals at Olympic Games: socio-economic, demographic, political and environmental influences? was carried out with special reference to 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. This study was thoroughly undertaken by the researcher by focusing on the problem that why countries show different performance in Olympics. There are four objectives set to be achieved by this study, which include a key objective namely to examine the influences of factors affecting the Olympic performance and two specific objectives such as (i) produce a mathematical model facilitating to predict the Olympic tally (ii) to identify the degree of factors influenced on the Olympic performance. The researchers carried out an extensive literature review to provide a conceptual background of the study, and to develop a conceptual model, and to formulate hypotheses for the study. Olympic Games in 2000, 80, 74, 87 countries and 921, 929, 958 medals respectively were selected for the survey. In addition, a formal methodological choice was made in this context for further purpose of getting the study systematically. Accordingly, sample selecting, data collecting processing, conceptualization, and operationalization were made in a scientific manner. Having tested the hypotheses a sound analysis of data was made here. From the analysis made the researcher was able to make certain vital findings, which have been revealed at the end. Based on the findings made it was able to reach a better conclusion which paved the path to make recommendations and suggestions for future research. Certain conclusions were made from the study after carrying out detail scientific analysis of data using appropriate statistical tools. The conclusion was based on the factors affecting the Olympic performance such as size of population of countries, GDP per capita, HDI, communist background and host city advantages of particular countries in particular Olympic years. Olympic Games showed weak relationship between these variables and Olympic performance. Based on the findings of the study number of recommendations were made to the sport authorities and researchers in the field of sport to improve sport performance in their countries in future. Resulting from implementations, the respective benefits will be yielded by not only Sri Lankan sport, but also aggregate Sri Lankan economy at last.