The International Olympic Committee, Law, and Accountability

This book examines the accountability of those involved in the Olympic Games, focusing on the legitimacy and accountability of the International Olympic Committee ('IOC'). This non-governmental organisation wields extraordinary authority over sport yet it has no democratic basis for its authority. This book questions the sources of the IOC's legitimacy and its authority, arguing that there is an accountability deficit. This is the first book to examine the conduct of the Olympic Games from an international legal perspective. It moves beyond being a mere critique of the IOC and the Olympic Games, and focuses on potential avenues for reform, arguing that the IOC and those who organise the Olympic Games must be more accountable to citizens and those that are harmed by the Olympic Games.

Ryan Gauthier is an Assistant Professor of Law at Thompson Rivers University, Canada. He completed his PhD thesis on the accountability of the International Olympic Committee at the Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 2015

1. Introduction to the Book: @SochiProblems 2. Understanding the International Olympic Committee as a Global Governance Actor 3. Structural Legitimacy: The International Olympic Committee, The Olympic Games and the Problem of Many Hands 4. Substantive Legitimacy: 'New' Olympic Hosts and the Worst Outcomes of the Olympic Games 5. Procedural Legitimacy: The Olympic Games Host Selection Process 6. Whose Games Are They Anyway? Accountability Through a Principal-Agent Framework 7. Learning from the World Bank: Towards an Accountability Forum for the Olympic Games 8. Towards a More Accountable Olympic Movement