The authors Vyv Simson and Andrew Jennings begin their documentary with a background of the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. Since The Lords of the Rings was published in ′92, the Barcelona Games are the most recent example of the glamorous and commercialized modern-day Olympics.
The authors give an impressive statistical background of the world′s biggest and most sumptuous sport spectacle, the Olympics. Next they introduce the powerful International Olympic Committee (IOC), referring to it as The Club. The most powerful members of The Club are; president Juan Antonio Samaranch, FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations) boss Joao Havelange, the president of the IAAF (International Amateur Athletics Federation) Primo Nebiolo, ANOC′s (Association of National Olympic Committees) president Mario Vazquez Rana, the World Teakwondo Federation′s president Dr. Un Yong Kim, along with Dick Pound and Robert H. Helmick.
The next topic dealt with, is the rising value of the Olympics "as a global brand"(11) combined with the increasing amounts of money collected through the sponsorships of multinational corporations and official suppliers to the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
In the second part of this chapter the authors use the annual meeting of the IOC, which was held in Birmingham in 1991, as an example for the "constant and glittering round of first- class travel, five-star hotels, champagne receptions, extravagant banquets, mountains of gifts and lavish entertainment"(12) guaranteed for the Olympic family′s gatherings. Officially the annual IOC meeting (behind closed doors) is supposed to "debate and vote on the policies to be carried out in the name of the Olympics"(18). Jennings and Simson conclude that the IOC members′ lives are "a constant round of meetings, trades and deals in the now lucrative, powerful and high profile world of international sports"(20).
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Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Chapter 1: Welcome to Barcelona
- Chapter 2: Horst's System
- Chapter 3: Dassler Takes Coke
- Chapter 4: From Montreal to Monaco
- Chapter 5: With Arm Raised I Salute You
- Chapter 6: The Clever Chameleon
- Chapter 7: The Jewel in the Crown
- Chapter 8: ISL Rules the World
- Chapter 9: Flotsam and Jetsam
- Chapter 10: Olympia's Black Gold
- Chapter 11: The Bumps on the Logs
- Chapter 12: Twenty Million Dollars
- Chapter 13: The Cheats
- Chapter 14: Scandal
- Chapter 15: Before Your Very Eyes
- Chapter 16: A Lawyer From Des Moines
- Chapter 17: Alarm Bells
- Chapter 18: The Benevolent Dictator
- Chapter 19: The Shoe Size of the Second Daughter
- Chapter 20: Destroy the Olympics
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This book investigates the evolution of the modern Olympic Games from a glamorous sporting event to a commercialized enterprise dominated by powerful figures and corporate sponsors. It explores how Horst Dassler, founder of Adidas, and his marketing company, ISL, gained influence over international sports and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through a strategic combination of sponsorship, funding, and manipulation.
- The rise of commercialism in the Olympics
- The role of powerful individuals and corporations in shaping international sports
- The impact of sponsorship and marketing on the integrity of sporting events
- The influence of the IOC and other international sports federations
- The ethical implications of the power dynamics within the world of international sports
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1: Welcome to Barcelona
The authors introduce the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 as a prime example of the modern Olympics' glamorous and commercialized nature. They outline the influence of powerful figures within the International Olympic Committee (IOC), including president Juan Antonio Samaranch and other prominent members. The chapter highlights the increasing value of the Olympics as a global brand and the significant amount of money generated through sponsorships.
Chapter 2: Horst's System
This chapter focuses on Horst Dassler, owner of Adidas, and his strategic efforts to gain control over the IOC. Dassler used his company to sponsor athletes and teams, provide funding to national federations, and cultivate relationships with influential figures. He employed a strategy of quid-pro-quo, leveraging his support for votes in elections and securing his position as a key player in the world of sports.
Chapter 3: Dassler Takes Coke
The authors describe how Dassler persuaded Coca-Cola to sponsor FIFA, the international governing body for football. By aligning with FIFA's new president, Joao Havelange, Dassler gained influence over South American and Third World votes within the IOC. He also helped to establish new events and initiatives aimed at developing youth sports in these regions, securing Adidas's position as a major player in global soccer.
Chapter 4: From Montreal to Monaco
This chapter details Dassler's continued involvement with the IOC and his efforts to maintain a strong influence within the Olympic family. It highlights the creation of the General Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF) as a potential counterweight to the IOC's growing power. Dassler played a significant role in establishing the GAISF headquarters in Monaco, securing relationships with various federations and promoting his marketing ideas.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key concepts and themes of the book revolve around commercialization, sponsorship, power dynamics, manipulation, and ethical concerns within the context of the Olympics and international sports. The work analyzes the influence of figures like Horst Dassler and the IOC, the rise of corporate sponsorship in sports, and the impact of these developments on the integrity of sporting events.
- Quote paper
- Lars Allenstein (Author), 1999, Book report: Vyv Simson, Andrew Jennings - The Lords of the Rings, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/5746
