Leveraging para sport events to create para sport legacies: a case study of the world para snow sport championship 2021

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines how the World Para Snow Sports Championship 2021 was leveraged to create para sport outcomes. The purpose of this study is to add to the knowledge of how different organisations can create positive para sport legacies from elite para sport events.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative case study used interviews with representatives from key stakeholders and archival materials as main sources. An event leverage model was used to better understand the context, structures, and resources relevant to the development of para sport outcomes.

Findings

The main findings show how a variety of organisations set goals and implemented strategies to create para sport legacies. While the short-term increase in para sport participation remained rather limited, the new infrastructure, new para sport policies, and increased awareness of para sport were the main para sport legacy outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

The main contribution of this study is empirical knowledge on how different organisations can leverage a para sport event to create legacies for para sport. Future research can examine the perspectives of additional groups, such as other athletes, spectators, and people with disabilities.

Practical implications

For organisations involved in para sport, this study shows the opportunities and challenges of using a sport event to recruit new para sport participants.

Originality/value

While there are some studies on the legacy outcomes of the Paralympic Games, this study focuses on a different para sport event and adopts the leverage perspective.