Canada and the Pan-American Games. Issue 1 (22nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Field, Russell; Kidd, Bruce
• Is Part Of: International journal of the history of sport. Volume 33:Issue 1/2(2016)
• Page Start: 217
• Page End: 238
• Publication Date: 2016-01-22
• Subjects: History -- political economy -- sport -- Pan-American Games -- Canadian sport; Sports -- History -- Periodicals; Sports -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 306.483
• DOI: 10.1080/09523367.2016.1152960
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0952-3367

Abstract

Abstract: Canadians have been involved in every edition of the Pan-American Games since they were inaugurated in Buenos Aires in 1951. That participation has provided thousands of Canadian athletes, coaches, and officials memorable international experiences. But the focus of Canadian involvement with the Pan-Ams has been the staging of games as a strategy for city building, city branding, and infrastructural investment. This paper examines the Pan-American Games of Winnipeg in 1967 and 1999 and Toronto 2015 as exemplars of that strategy. It argues that with the successes of those games, major games hosting has become virtually an article of faith of Canadian sport policy.