UNIVERSITY OF PELOPONNESE FACULTY OF HUMAN MOVEMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT MASTER’S THESIS “OLYMPIC STUDIES, OLYMPICMaster's EDUCATION, Thesis ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF OLYMPIC EVENTS” Olympic Academy Establishment in Oman: Hindrances & Enablers Hisham Salim Al Adwani Supervisor: Susan Brownell Sparta, December, 2013 Table of Contents 1. Abstract………………………………………………………………….…..p.6 Chapter one [1] 2. Introduction………………………………………..………………...............p.7 3. Research Problem…….……….. ……………………………….……….…..p.9 4. Purpose of the Research …………….………………………….…………...p.9 5. Research Questions………………………………………………..................p9 6. Significance of the Research ………………………………………………..p.10 7. Research Tools……………………………………………………..………..p.10 8. Scope of Research ………..………………….……………………………… p.10 9. Summary and Organization of the Research………………..……………..… p.11 Chapter two 10. Literature Review……………………………………………………………p.12 11. Introduction……………………………………………………….................p.12 12. Historical Glimpses of Olympic Education………………………………….p.13 13. An Overview of the Role of the National Olympic Academies……………..p.15 14. Models of National Olympic Academies in Asia Continent………………...p.20 - Qatar Olympic Academy………………………………………...............p.20 - Iran Olympic and Paralympic Academy………………………...............p.25 - Malaysia Olympic Academy……………………………………………p.30 15. Sport in Oman………………………………………………………………p.33 16. An Overview of Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)………………………..p.36 - The OOC's Relationships…………..……………………………………p.36 - Supporting Committees of the OOC…………………………………….p.39 [2] - The OOC's Achievements………………………………………………p.41 17. Summary of Literature Reviewed………………………………….………p.42 Chapter three 18. Methodology....................................................................................................p.44 19. Introduction…………………………………………….………..………….p.44 20. Purpose of the Research……………………………………...…..………….p.44 21. Interview Questions……………………………………………….................p.45 22. Purposive Sampling…………………………………………..……………...p.46 23. Method of Data Collection Research…………………………..……………p.47 24. Data Collection Procedures……………………………………..…………...p.49 25. Data Analysis………………………………………………………………...p.50 26. Response Rate……………………………………………………………….p.50 27. Validity and Reliability……………………………………………………...p.51 28. Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………….p.51 29. Time Table…………………………………………………………………...p.52 30. Summary of Methodology…………………………………………...............p.52 Chapter Four 31. Results of Findings…………………………………………………………..p.53 32. Introduction………………………………………………………………….p.53 [3] 33. Participants Demographics…………………………………………………..p.51 34. Interview Issues……………………………………………………………...p.52 35. Findings of Interviews………………………………………………………p.55 - Duties of OOC…………………………………………………………...p.56 - The Importance of the NOA in Oman.…………………………………..p.57 - Hindrances facing the Establishment of a NOA in Oman……………….p.58 - Enablers to Establishment a NOA in Oman……………………………..p.59 - Develop Sport and Olympic Specialists by Establishing NOA in Oman..p.60 - With Or Against the Establishment of a NOA in Oman………………...p.61 36. Summary of Results…………………………………………………………p.61 Chapter Five 37. Discussion of Findings………………………………………………………p.62 38. Introduction………………………………………………………………….p.62 39. Finding the Relationship to the Literature…………………………………...p.62 40. Participants Demographics…………………………………………………p.63 41. Theme One: Duties of OOC…………………….…………………………..p.64 42. Theme Two: The Importance of the OOA…………………………………..p.66 43. Theme Three: Hindrances Facing Establishment a NOA in Oman……...….p.67 44. Theme Four: Enablers to Establishment a NOA in Oman………………….p.69 45. Theme Five: Develop Sport and Olympic Specialists by Establishing OOA………………………………………………………………………...P.72 46. Theme Six: With or Against the Establishment of a NOA in Oman…...........p.73 Chapter Six [4] 47. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..p.75 48. Introduction………………………………………………………………….p.75 49. Comparison between Oman and Case studies of other countries……………p.78 50. Implications for Action………………………………………………………p.79 51. Implications and Recommendations for Sports Authorities…………………p.79 52. Strengths and Limitations……………………………………………………p.81 53. Recommendations for Further Researches……………..……………………p.82 54. Summary of Conclusion……………………………………………………..p.84 Chapter Seven 55. Bibliography..………………………………………………………………. p.85 Chapter Eight 56. Appendixes…………………………………………………………………..p.95 Abstract [5] Oman is located in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is an IOC member since 1982 and participates in the Olympic Games since 1984. However, despite the fact that Oman is an active member of the Olympic Movement there is no Olympic Academy in the country to promote Olympism. The main aim of this study is to investigate the hindrances and the enablers existing in the process of establishing the Oman Olympic Academy. The methodology that employed is qualitative (interviews with sports specialists from different categories who have experience in sport and Olympics in the country for many years). The results of this study were: a) reflected the current thoughts in Oman regarding the establishment of an Olympic Academy, b) allowed comparison with Olympic Academies functioning in the Asia continent, c) leaded to greater understanding of the challenges the establishment of the National Olympic Academy in Oman faces and d) leaded to suggestions towards establishing an Olympic Academy in Oman. Chapter 1 Introduction [6] The mission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is set out in the Olympic Charter (Rule 2, 2010), is to promote Olympism throughout the world and to lead the Olympic Movement in a successful and effective way. The IOC supervises all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in the world. It has many duties to improve the values of Olympism and level of sports performance worldwide. In addition, the IOC protects the message of the Olympic movement in more than 204 NOCs in over five continents. Moreover, the IOC supports all the NOCs to improve the level of athletes and sports education programs in their countries. Recently, it provides many training programs and sport courses for athletes to inspire their skills and knowledge in sport's field. Furthermore, the IOC has supported Sports International Federations in Olympic Games and continental sports activities. On the other hand, since the IOC was established in 1894, it has tried to promote Olympic education. Furthermore, the IOC identifies education as the backbone of the Olympic movement and the universal message to all people which involve in sport's field. Therefore, the attempt of de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games, to establish an International Olympic Academy (IOA) was achieved during the IOC session in Rome in 1949 when the IOC members accepted the report which was presented by Kestseas, an important Greek figure in sport and member of the IOC in that time ( Koulouri & Georgiadis, 2007, p.27). Georgiadis (2011) mentioned that the IOA began its activities in Olympic education in 1961 in Ancient Olympia in Greece. The IOA organizes a variety program and activities such as scientific academic training, artistic and social activities, in order to promote Olympic education. Also, the IOA works to co-ordinate the foundation and operation of the National Olympic Academies (NOAs) all over the world, as well as the supervision of their work. The number of NOAs is increasing since the first NOA was established in 1966. Currently, there are almost 143 NOAs operation in the world which work and operate their activities with respect to the Olympic Movement in their countries. Furthermore, those NOAs prepare their participants to participate in the IOA programs, organizing programs related to Olympic education, spreading awareness of Olympism among their citizens and acting as an Olympic education centre. [7] In Oman, there is still no NOA institution even though Olympic specialists have mentioned on several occasions the significance of Olympic Academy as an education body working along with the NOC. Particularly, Georgiadis (2011, p.6) stated that, "the mandate of National Olympic Academies (NOA) can be summed up as being cultivate, disseminate, study and apply the values advocated by the Olympic Movement in their countries through cultural and other educational programs". However, the establishment of an NOA is not easy. There are a lot of challenges facing any changes in Oman society, especially in term of politics, education and of course sport. Therefore, the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) has tried to implement the role of NOA, however, it has been not easy to do that with a small number of staff mostly unqualified in the sports field or Olympism. Also, there are a lot of responsibilities that should be done by NOA, but due to with its the non-existence, the OOC has not fulfilled those responsibilities. In spite of that, the researcher will discuss sports in Oman and their achievements in the second chapter. However, there is a small number of Omani athletes who have participated in Olympic Games without any medals since the OOC was established in Oman in 1982. In addition, the awareness of Olympism in Oman has not been spread either among schools’ students or publics due to lack of an Olympic library, education programs and manuals, cultural events, mini-Olympiad between schools, exhibitions, and centers of Olympic studies. In addition, the OOC has not set up suitable criteria for selecting participants