INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSECURITIES AS CHALLENGES IN HOSTING INTERNATIONAL SPORTING EVENTS IN EMERGING ECONOMIES

ABSTRACT

This study examines the Infrastructural development and insecurities as challenges in Hosting International Sporting Events in Emerging Economies. Four research questions were posed with four corresponding hypotheses. The purpose of the study was to know the level to which infrastructural development can impact the successful hosting of international sporting events in emerging economies, their challenges, strategies and measures to mitigate the problems of insecurities when hosting Mega-sports events. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A 20-item questionnaire served as the instrument for data collection which was validated by the supervisor and two experts in the Department of Human Kinetics and Sport Science, Faculty of Education, University of Benin with a reliability index of 7.1; which was calculated as high. The population of the study was made up of 100 respondents from Ministry of Youths and Sports, Edo State Sports Commission and Coaches of Sports from the different sports organizations made up of males and females within the age range of 18-60yrs. The research questions were analyzed with mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage and Pearson’s product moment of correlation. Result shows the importance of robust infrastructure in facilitating and enhancing the hosting experience, potentially leading to positive outcomes such as increased economic benefits and improved international reputation for the host countries. Security and insecurities can affect the planning and execution of international sporting events in emerging economies. Inadequate infrastructure can also pose significant challenges to hosting these mega-sports events. The result also showed that there is a relationship between strategies that can enhance both infrastructural development and security measures for successful international sports event hosting in developing nations.