Western to host 12th annual International Symposium for Olympic Research

With the clock ticking down towards Rio 2016, many of the world’s leading Olympic Games researchers will meet at Western University this week for a major conference focused on understanding the cultural importance of the multi-billion dollar, biennial international sporting competition.

The 12th annual International Symposium for Olympic Research is hosted by Western’s International Centre for Olympic Studies (ICOS) on October 30-31 and will showcase the latest findings on a wide range of socio-cultural disciplines relating to the Olympic movement, including history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, political science and sport management.

Highlights of the conference include keynote presentations by Helen Lenskyj on The Olympic Industry: Sex, Power and Politics and Ian Ritchie & Rob Beamish on Ben Johnson, Charles Dubin, and the Spirit of Sport: Canada’s Role in International Anti-Doping Policies.

Jules Boykoff, one of the biggest names in international Olympic Games academia, will present Media Coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia with Matthew Yasuoka on Friday, October 31 in Health Sciences Building, Room 35 at 2 p.m.

For a complete schedule of presenters, please visit https://www.uwo.ca/olympic/conference.html

“The Olympic Games are without a doubt the highest level of sports competition in the world,” says ICOS Director Janice Forsyth. “Understanding the drive and commitment of the people involved in the Olympic movement, both on and off the field of competition, gives us a better understanding of the human psyche, physical determination and the pursuit of excellence.”

ICOS will produce a peer-reviewed collection of edited papers from the Symposium in an effort to share the latest Olympic-related research worldwide. The Symposium also features the second annual Graduate Student Essay Competition. The award winning submission will be considered for publication in Olympika: The International Journal for Olympic Studies, which is published by ICOS.

Follow the Symposium on Twitter @westernuOlympic

MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Renaud, Senior Media Relations Officer, 519-661-2111, ext. 85165, jrenaud9@uwo.ca, @jeffrenaud99