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- Geeraert, Arnout, et al.
(author)
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Good governance in international sport organizations : an analysis of the 35 Olympic sport governing bodies
- 2014
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In: International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1940-6940 .- 1940-6959. ; 6:3, s. 281-306
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this article, structural issues with regard to the quality of the self-governance of the 35 Olympic sport governing bodies (SGBs) are analysed. First, this article presents empirical evidence on the lack of accountability arrangements in SGBs. In particular, the watchdog function of their member organizations is severely undermined by the general absence of objective criteria and transparency in the distribution of funding to members. With regard to checks and balances, arguably the most topical issue is the complete lack of independent ethics committees. Second, our survey demonstrates that most SGBs have institutionalized athlete participation. However, in the overwhelming majority of the organizations, they have not been granted a share of formal decisionmaking power. Third, with regard to executive body members, there is the rather anachronistic dominance of the European continent and also the preponderance of male officials. In addition, the general lack of term limits poses serious threats with regard to the concentration of power, which is evidenced for instance by the overall number of years SGB presidents are in office. The empirical evidence clearly supports the recent calls for improved governance in sport, according to which SGBs need to agree upon, and act in accordance with, a set of well-defined criteria of good governance.Only then will the self-governance of sport be credible and the privileged autonomy of these organizations justifiable.
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| 2. |
- Persson Waye, Kerstin, 1959, et al.
(author)
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Rail freight vibration impacts sleep and community response: An overview of CargoVibes
- 2014
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In: ICBEN 2014, the 11th International Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem. Nara, Japan, 2014 June 1 to June 5.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The European Union funded CargoVibes project involving 10 partners from 8 nations has aimed to examine ground-borne vibration affecting residents close to freight railway lines. This poster presents an overview of the work package investigating human response to vibration, with particular focus on physiological and psychological impact on sleep, community annoyance and the development of guidance in evaluating response. The effects of vibration on sleep were measured in a series of laboratory trials at the University of Gothenburg. Existing field studies of community response were supplemented with further field work in the Netherlands and Poland, and a meta-analysis conducted to determine dose-response relationships for railway vibration. Numerous outcomes of vibration exposure were found, with physiological markers such as greater heart rate response and cortical reactions during sleep, and annoyance and sleep disturbance increasing with higher vibration amplitudes. A guidance document considering current state of the art regarding vibration measurement and assessment was produced pertaining to human perception, evaluation methods, annoyance, sleep impacts, and non-exposure factors. The outcomes of this work represent a significant advance in the understanding of the human response to railway vibration and a step towards a much needed harmonisation of assessment methods. The findings presented in this poster highlight the importance of considering environmental vibration in the planning, construction, and maintenance of railways in residential environments.
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