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France's Sports Strategy and the Phenomenon of Sportswashing: A case study of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics

Koerfer, Inès Charlotte LU (2025) EUHR18 20251
European Studies
Abstract
Traditionally, sportswashing has served as a short-hand way to criticise and accuse non-democratic countries of strategically using investments in sport, sports clubs and sports events to distract from or cover up oppressive practices. This thesis investigates sportswashing through a case study of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics, aiming to assess whether a practice commonly associated with autocratic regimes could also be applied to democratic contexts. Through the development of an original typology of ‘systemic’ and ‘opportunistic’ sportswashing and the completion of a qualitative
content analysis of press kits, campaigns and discourses by the French government and state subsidiaries, France’s political and diplomatic... (More)
Traditionally, sportswashing has served as a short-hand way to criticise and accuse non-democratic countries of strategically using investments in sport, sports clubs and sports events to distract from or cover up oppressive practices. This thesis investigates sportswashing through a case study of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics, aiming to assess whether a practice commonly associated with autocratic regimes could also be applied to democratic contexts. Through the development of an original typology of ‘systemic’ and ‘opportunistic’ sportswashing and the completion of a qualitative
content analysis of press kits, campaigns and discourses by the French government and state subsidiaries, France’s political and diplomatic motivations for hosting the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are analysed as well as their alignment with either form of ‘systemic’ and ‘opportunistic’ sportswashing is evaluated. The study shows that the French sports strategy contains elements of both types and that a further category called ‘hybrid sportswashing’ may be necessary to fully cover the use of sports and sports mega-events by democratic states. (Less)
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author
Koerfer, Inès Charlotte LU
supervisor
organization
course
EUHR18 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
sportswashing, France, 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, case study, content analysis, systemic sportswashing, opportunistic sportswashing, hybrid sportswashing, European Studies
language
English
id
9193836
date added to LUP
2025-06-10 14:40:56
date last changed
2025-06-10 14:40:56
@misc{9193836,
  abstract     = {{Traditionally, sportswashing has served as a short-hand way to criticise and accuse non-democratic countries of strategically using investments in sport, sports clubs and sports events to distract from or cover up oppressive practices. This thesis investigates sportswashing through a case study of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics, aiming to assess whether a practice commonly associated with autocratic regimes could also be applied to democratic contexts. Through the development of an original typology of ‘systemic’ and ‘opportunistic’ sportswashing and the completion of a qualitative 
content analysis of press kits, campaigns and discourses by the French government and state subsidiaries, France’s political and diplomatic motivations for hosting the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are analysed as well as their alignment with either form of ‘systemic’ and ‘opportunistic’ sportswashing is evaluated. The study shows that the French sports strategy contains elements of both types and that a further category called ‘hybrid sportswashing’ may be necessary to fully cover the use of sports and sports mega-events by democratic states.}},
  author       = {{Koerfer, Inès Charlotte}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{France's Sports Strategy and the Phenomenon of Sportswashing: A case study of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}