analysis of scientific publications about olympics up to 1996: matters, evolution, languages, and types of publication

Abstract

We analyse the scientific publications on Olympic Games to establish the singularity of the characteristics concerning their subjects, level, languages, types and the number of publications. We used the international computerized database “Sport”1, of the International Association of Sports Information (IASI) and Canadian Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC). This analysis enable us to establish differences between applied sciences on olympics and applied sciences on sport in general.
It is surprising firstly that in the 70’s decade, the number of scientific works increases 16,7 times, the largest increment among decades, even though the level is lower than previosly.
The main subjects on olympics by their number of publications are: 1ST Administration, 2nd History, 3rd Associations and Commitees, 4th Sports Facilities, 5th Biographies, 6th Philosophy, 7th Politics, 8th Mass Media; but the most “specific” olympic subjects are: 1ST Associations and Commitees, 2nd Culture, 3rd Politics, 4th Mass media, 5th Philosophy, 6th Economy, 7th Administration. Until 1996, the Games with the highest number of publications were Calgary 1988 (winter), with 12% of the total olympic publications.