Risk Management and Major Sporting Events: A Four-Part Analysis by Sacha Vaillancourt
These days, the world’s attention is once again turning to two major international winter sporting events. For the host country, this will mark the culmination of years of planning and sustained effort. The same goes for the athletes representing their respective countries. Everything will be put in place to ensure they have an optimal and safe environment in which to perform at the highest level. However, staging an event of this scale relies above all on rigorous risk management, which is essential to ensure the safety, health and performance of the athletes, as well as the continuity of operations.
Here are four major categories of risk to consider.
Security risks
Even though the risk of terrorist incidents remains low, security is one of the absolute priorities for organizing committees. It is a matter of trust as much as of protection. During past large global sporting events, authorities had to ensure the safety of thousands of athletes, millions of spectators and numerous competition venues. It is therefore crucial to deploy a robust security system for:
- Prevention of violent or intentional incidents;
- Crowd management;
- Site surveillance and access control.
Health risks: disease, infections and food insecurity
High-density environments frequented by athletes, officials and spectators are considered high-risk zones for infectious diseases and food-related incidents. To ensure the smooth running of the competition and the athletes’ ability to perform, several measures need to be considered, including:
- Strict hygiene and disinfection protocols;
- Rigorous food controls;
- Continuous medical monitoring of athletes;
- Management plans in the event of an outbreak or contamination.
Environmental and climatic risks
Organizing teams need to provide for predictive analyses, multi-scenario planning and adaptation protocols to ensure the safety and fairness of competitions, whether in terms of:
- Air quality;
- Extreme temperatures;
- Precipitation;
- Increased climate variability.
Cybersecurity risks
Major international sporting events are now among the world’s most targeted events for cyberthreats. During recent events of this magnitude, hundreds of millions of cyberattacks were recorded and neutralized, with projections for subsequent events indicating substantial increases. Moreover, the omnipresence and popularity of top athletes on social media means that they may become prime targets for cybercriminals. It is therefore essential to integrate cybersecurity as a central component of the overall risk management system, in order to prevent threats such as:
- Account hacking and data theft;
- Attacks targeting technology infrastructure;
- Information manipulation or impersonation of athletes;
- Attempts to disrupt operations.
Seeing major sporting events in a new light means understanding that behind every performance lies meticulous preparation and sophisticated risk management. This world of sporting excellence reveals just how much the protection of athletes, infrastructure and data relies on anticipation, reinforced protocols, robust technologies, and fully integrated risk governance.
