Introduction

What remains of a great spectacle after the last race is run or the final match is played? How can the vast expense of mounting such events be justified? What if there is nothing left behind or, even worse, what if the legacy is negative – costly, underused facilities, a debt-ridden host city or possibly both? The Montreal Olympics of 1976 were a sporting success but the citizens of that city did not pay off the debt until 2006. Greece gave us a memorable Summer Games in 2004, as did Turin for the Winter Games in 2006, but much of the sporting infrastructure is little used. Good legacy is illusive; hence the reputation of the Barcelona Olympics of 1992 for its exemplary fusion of Olympic sport and urban regeneration. This also accounts for the growing and palpable concern of the IOC – and of FIFA – to see that the vast global competitions they control amount to more than a few great moments, no matter how extraordinary or inspiring they might be: that these events live on through their legacy.