International sporting events and human rights : does the host nation play fair?

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] International sporting events like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup generate a great deal of attention for the athletes, the games, and for the nations that host these events. Hosting can be very prestigious for a nation, yet not all hosts are apt to be strict observers of international norms regarding human rights and human security. In these instances, the tourists who travel to see the event, and the media that broadcasts it, are better able to observe the poor behavior of a state who would rather use this opportunity to increase its international standing. Are host nations apt to improve their behavior for the sake of an international sporting event? Are they more responsive to the international criticism of their behavior when hosting an event? This research finds that states are in fact more responsive to international rights criticism, and, for the duration of the event are better observers of human rights. Yet, this positive effect is only apparent for the duration of the event.