globalEDGE Blog - By Tag: 2022-winter-olympics-series

The Olympics we watch today are vastly different than the first Olympics in Olympia, Greece. The Olympics adapted to changes in the world to transform into the modern games we watch today. Each change was made meaningfully and with the goal of making the games more representative of the society we live in. The International Olympic Committee meets to make changes to the games, whether that be adding or taking away sports or creating new standards for sustainability and gender equality so that the Olympics continue to adapt to new ideas and generations. 

Every four years, fans are on the edge of their seats for nearly three weeks of the Winter Olympic Games. Some countries are known for their reputation of being on the podium, but how might this change with each competition? As we await the final results of the 2022 Winter Olympics, we look at: the hosts of the games, what it means to bring home the gold, and how the global reach of this athletic tradition supports businesses and athletes alike.

The Olympics is one of the few events where people from all over the world gather together. People are competing for their home country while achieving individual accomplishments and record-breaking scores. It is a time of gathering and celebration. However, in order to make this event possible, the host country has to plan years in advance. Sports venues, athletes' accommodations, and transportation improvements are all necessary to prepare for the crowds. The venues, in particular, have received criticism over the past several decades. From the economy perspective, their creation costs are high with a low utility after the event. From the social perspective, millions of people were forced to move in order to make space for the constructions.

When observing earlier modern Olympic games, dating back to 1896, the state of the geopolitical sphere caused multiple restrictions and boycotts. The current 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are no exception.