Sport, the batons of integration and excellence

In the summer of 2024, France will host the Olympic Games. Holding this event reminds us of what sport can bring to societies. Indeed, the three values of Olympism are friendship, respect and excellence. A number of economic questions arise concerning the impact of sport. First of all, while positive consequences of sporting events such as the Olympic Games are ambiguous, sport as a sector of activity can be a growth factor, despite its relatively low weight, as all public and private players weave increasingly consolidated networks of services and industries. The sports market is central to the wellness and leisure market. A second, more specific question concerns the labor market for top-level athletes: the dynamics of supply and demand, remuneration and careers vary from one sport to another. This place in the economy goes hand in hand with a social role as a catalyst for links. Public policies on sport and education bear witness to this. This raises the question of the conditions under which sport becomes an element of integration on the one hand, and of well-being on the other.