Are cariocas getting ready for the Games? : sport participation and the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games

Bidding and organizing committees of mega-events greatly emphasize the intangible benefits derived from hosting such events in their communities, despite the lack of research confirming intangible legacies. This research note is intended to contribute to the sport event management field by discussing an oft-cited but rarely explored intangible legacy of the Olympic Games: the sport participation legacy. In this study, interviews were conducted with physical education professionals currently residing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Preliminary conclusions from the study revealed that there are high expectations of the Olympic Games legacies, particularly in regards to sport participation. This optimistic view contrasted with perceptions that corruption, evident when Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2007 Pan-American Games, may again taint a mega-sport event in Brazil.