(ATR)An expert with International Center for Sport Security (ICSS) tells Around the Rings the allure of the Olympic Games is fading in the public eye.
"People are starting to ask questions about sport," Lea Cleret, head of research, policy and education at the ICSS, says.
"Up until very recently, the Olympic Games and the IOC were sort of pure and perfect organizations."
Despite the IOC facing scandal in 2002 during the Salt Lake City Games, Cleret says, "It was unquestionable…it was a good thing to host the Olympics."
Cleret tells ATR the bidding process for the 2022 Winter Olympics reflects a waning interest in hosting the Games.
"People are starting ask, 'what are we getting for the money we're investing in this event?'Sport is losing a bit of its superb."
She adds that in the case of the 2022 Games, the IOC was left with two countries -- Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beijing -- "with a lot of money who can host them and who probably aren't the best suited.Where are the mountains in Beijing?"
Cleret also tells ATR that Boston dropping out of the bid race for the 2024 Olympics signals a change in the public's perspective on the Games that the IOC needs to address soon.
"The Boston message is extremely strong because the U.S. loves the Olympics. U.S. media invest massively in the Olympics.If the sports movement doesn't react to that message, I'm not sure what future awaits."
In 2014, Cleret attended the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. She says connecting with young people could help the Olympic Movement revamp its image.Cleret adds that the IOC's Olympic Agenda 2020 is a step in the right direction.
"There's definitely something in there, but to me we're still not listening to what youth has to say."
She says despite the growing popularity of the YOG, the IOC can do more to address the "needs and the change of the generation Y."
Click the SoundCloud link below for ATR's full interview with Lea Cleret.
Written and produced byNicole Bennett
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