The sport for development legacies of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the last decade, a significant trend could be observed with regards to the growth of thenumber of sport for development initiatives globally, as well as the increasing range ofstakeholders involved in the sport for development field. Many international organisationsand institutions began to put more emphasis on the use of sport and sport activities to initiatesocial change. This was further observed with the growing trends in sport for developmentactivities within the Global South. In order to explore the impacts of the trends in sport fordevelopment, this study examined the recent sport for development trends in South Africaand in what way the 2010 FIFA World Cup has affected it. This study attempts to do this byexploring the historical underpinnings of sport for development in South Africa, as well ascurrent trends in the field. The study further examines the sport for development initiativesthat have been implemented during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and explores theirramifications for the sport for development landscape in South Africa.With its assessment of the sport for development legacies of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, thisstudy builds on the existing international literature by an increasing number of scholarsassessing the trends in sport for development as well as evaluating the effectiveness of thefield for promoting development. Moreover, due to the recent increase in developingcountries in the Global South hosting sport mega-events, with a purpose to achieve socialdevelopment objectives through the event (for example, South Africa and the 2010 WorldCup), this study builds on literature examining a potential link between sport mega-eventsand sport for development. As a point of departure this study looked to provide an overviewof the sport for development field, the recent debates raised among scholars as well as atheoretical framework informing the field. The study then looked towards the historicalunderpinnings of sport for development in South Africa, creating a framework for theanalysis of the empirical study regarding the sport for development initiatives implementedduring the World Cup.The main findings of this study included the rapid growth of sport for development initiativesduring the World Cup period, the increase and range in public and private actors forminginstitutional arrangements and partnerships in sport for development initiatives and theoutcomes and implications of those trends for the South African sport for developmentcontext. Through the hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it was found that the sport mega-event was ultimately used as a strategic opportunity for initiatives to achieve objectives andaims including the creation of awareness of initiatives, potentially meeting new partners andfunders, and increasing participant numbers. Moreover, through the formation of institutionalarrangements and partnerships, implementing organisations could potentially ensuresustainability of the initiative due to the resources made available by the range of partnersinvolved. It must be noted however, that although the 2010 FIFA World Cup was usedstrategically by the sport for development initiatives implemented during that period, sportmega-events cannot be said to achieve social development objectives, especially those ofsport for development, due to the many neoliberal tendencies that is found in the hosting ofthe event.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University