Lessons Learned from the Operations of International Sports Events during COVID-19 Pandemic
Keywords:
organizational quarantine, COVID-19, international sports, sports event managementAbstract
This lesson learned study aimed to review documents and experiences gained from story-telling of 50 executives and practitioners involving with international sports events during COVID-19 pandemic. Key informants were from government and private organizations who agreed to participate in phone and video conference interviews or discussions with an open-ended questionnaire conducted in September 2021. According to research findings, the operations of international sports events with no audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic used quarantine measures called “organizational quarantine type B” provided an opportunity for athletes to be eligible to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. All the authorities involved expressed concerns on challenges of the management of sports events under quarantine. Even though the accomplishments did not have direct economic worth, Thailand had shown the potential of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic internationally. The sports events during COVID-19 with appropriate preventive measures had proved that they promoted social and economic mobility. Combined with other quarantine facilities, the contracted souvenir shops, restaurants and other recreation facilities with disease prevention and control standards, could help decrease stress and distribute profits to the community.
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