Attitude of Regional Residents and Guests of Universiade-2013 to Organization and Hosting of Megaevent

Фотографии: 

ˑ: 

A.M. Zotova, professor, Dr.Hab.

Key words: World Universiade, heritage, big sports events.

Introduction. The concept of heritage originated in 1990 when planning the Olympic games in Atlanta in 1996 (J.-L. Chappelet, 2008). The organizers of the Olympic Games in Atlanta committed themselves to leave the heritage, but failed to precisely define the concept of heritage in the context of sports event [1].

Later, some researchers defined the notion “heritage of sports events" and the structure of heritage [2, 5, 7].

So, according to H. Preuss (2007), the “heritage of sports event is planned and unplanned, positive and negative, tangible and intangible structures, created at the initiative of sports events that last longer than the event itself" [6].

The heritage of world-class sports events in host cities can take various forms, including the form of unsportsmanlike (expansion of urban infrastructure and the profile of national and international tourism) and sports benefit (development of national sport, strengthening of sports organizations and potential increase in the number of those engaged in mass sport) [1, 4].

As the region's residents and guests of the event can give an idea of ​​the scale of big sports events, hospitality policy and the meaning of sports event, the study of their opinion is a defining moment in the research of the impact of the major sports event on the host city, region and country [3].

Thus, the purpose of our research was to study respondents' attitude towards the organization and staging of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013.

Organization of the study. The questionnaire was conducted to achieve this objective. In total, 3516 people participated in the survey, including 828 residents of Kazan and Tatarstan, who were interviewed 6 months before the Universiade-2013, 2688 people participated in the questionnaire during the Universiade-2013. We conducted a survey of the following categories of respondents: audience (n = 1917), judges of competitions (n = 88), volunteers (n = 419), media representatives (n = 21), interpreters, medical professionals and others (n = 205).

Results and discussion. The questionnaire, conducted 6 months before the big sports event, revealed that construction of world-class sports facilities (1st place), modernization of the city transport infrastructure (2nd place ), job placement for residents of Kazan (3rd place) are important for Kazan residents related to training and staging of the Universiade.

The analysis of responses to the question "Does in your opinion preparation and staging of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan contribute to promotion of healthy way of life, involvement in sports occupation?" showed the differences in the responses of the respondents interviewed before and during the Universiade. So, if 56,7 % of residents of Kazan and the region 6 months prior to the big sports event confidently stated that the Universiade will be an incentive for physical culture and sports occupations, the number of those during the event reached 88%. At the same time 35,9% of respondents interviewed before the sports event claimed that the active positive attitude to physical culture and sport is an inner conviction of each person, which does not depend on whether the Universiade is held in this region or not. We must admit that there exist examples of legitimacy of such a point of view. For example, physical culture and sports occupations were very large scale in the USSR in the 50-60s, although major sports events (Olympic Games, Universiade) were not conducted in the USSR.

One aspect of the study was the question of how the people of Kazan and the region treat the organization and staging of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan. The results of the survey showed that the overwhelming majority of respondents - 591 person (71,4 %) - stated: "I am proud that the Universiade is held in the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan"; 120 persons (14,5%) out of 828 negative think negatively about the idea of ​​the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan, considering that the organization and staging of the Universiade cause problems for the population.

557 residents of Kazan (56%) participating in the questionnaire said that while getting ready for the Universiade they were annoyed by constant "traffic jams” on the roads; 107 persons (10,8 %) were dissatisfied with the changes in the city transport infrastructure; 162 persons (16,3%) – with the construction noise during building of sites of the Universiade.

In our opinion, it is very important to analyze responses to the question “What disadvantages can you note in the organization of sports events of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan?”.

According to respondents, one of the major shortcomings in the organization of sports events of the Universiade-2013 in Kazan is the lack of quality information on the ongoing sports contests, secondly, the respondents were worried about reinforced security at the entrance to sports facilities, thirdly - interviewed respondents were dissatisfied with the transport operation during the Universiade-2013. In particular, respondents were not satisfied with the quality of delivery to the event.

In addition to these comments, respondents noted the following shortcomings of the Universiade-2013:

- regarding ticket sales (tickets were sold without specified seats, tickets in the sector were oversold; despite the availability one cannot buy tickets for the competition; huge queues for tickets (stood for 3-5 h) and the site for ticket sale kassir.ru does not work);

- regarding the work of the organizers (many judges did not know foreign languages at all; huge queues at the admission of spectators to facilities);

- regarding sports facilities (little garbage bins, few toilets, long queues at the buffet; dirty seats in the stands, lack of parking at facilities, very expensive food; unsatisfactory operation of buses (shuttles), lack of signs at facilities);

- regarding the organization of events (lack of information about the competition program/ ​​venue, participants of semifinals and finals).

According to the analysis of responses to the question posed to the respondents during the Universiade, “What did you personally got from staging of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan?", the Universiade-2013 provided an opportunity for residents of Kazan and the Tatarstan Republic, Russia and other countries to see the colorful show and enjoy sports events. 224 respondents believe that the construction of world-class sports facilities will give the residents of Kazan and the region more opportunities for sports occupations, and 145 people claim that the preparation and staging of the Universiade provided job and additional income opportunities for many people.

Conclusions. According to the questionnaire of the residents of Kazan and the region, guests of the Universiade 2013, most of the respondents are proud for the Undiversiade to be held in the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The feeling of satisfaction among the questionnaire respondents is caused by the construction of world-class sports facilities, modernization of the transport infrastructure and the face of the city. In the opinion of the majority of respondents from different social groups, getting ready for the Universiade and staging it will boost the number of people regularly engaged in physical culture and sport.

Generally, the findings of this study need further investigation in the context of long-term sustainable heritage of the Universiade 2013.

References

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Corresponding author: zfr-nauka@mail.ru