Experience and Legacy of Gambian Athletes at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires 2018, A Critical Discourse Analysis

Authors

  • Pascal Mamudou Camara German Sport University Cologne (Germany)

Keywords:

Youth Olympic Games, Athletes Experience, The Gambia

Abstract

This paper explores the experiences and legacy of Gambian athletes that participated at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Buenos Aires 2018. Through this event, the International Olympic Committee intends to bring young people from the world over together to learn and share the Olympic ideals and further replicate this in their communities. Data was collected through telephone interviews with the athletes and analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis. Among the aspects covered are the information gained by the athletes before the games, their experiences during the games and the impact of the event in their athletic and personal lives. The findings reveal that the athletes lacked prior knowledge of the YOG and that limited their level of interaction and depth of experiences. In addition, the conditions of the sport structures in the Gambia limited them from replicating the experience gained. In conclusion, supporting social engagements of young athletes that participated in the YOG will enhance the intentions of the Olympic Movement.

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Published

2022-02-16

Issue

Section

Emerging Scholars