If medals were being awarded to UK universities based on their connections to the Beijing Winter Olympics, De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) would be pushing for a podium finish.
As the Olympic torch burns out in Beijing at the end of the Winter Olympics, before reigniting for this Friday’s Winter Paralympics, DMU can proudly say it had:
- Student Farrell Treacy become the first man to represent Great Britain in a short track speed skating final for 16 years
- Alumni Pierre Ducrey play the essential role of Olympic Games’ Operations Director for the International Olympic Committee
- and student Anna Frelich conducting fieldwork with the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association (BBSA).
The connections do not end there. DMU’s Dr Heather Dichter, Associate Professor of Sport History & Sport Management, and an expert on the Olympics, was in demand from media organisations around the world to discuss everything from politics and history to the success of the Games.
During the pandemic Dr Dichter also arranged for Beijing 2022 skeleton silver medallist Jackie Narracott - the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in a sliding event – to talk to DMU students about the business side of being an elite athlete in international sport.
Dr Dichter said: “It’s really great to see DMU’s connections with the Olympic Games spanning so many different areas. Our students benefit from learning first-hand about international sport from individuals involved with the Olympic Games. These opportunities provide a different perspective on the global sport industry.”
Farrell Treacy had GB supporters on the edge of their seats as he skated his way to the final of the Short Track Speed Skating competition. He was the first British male to reach the final for 16 years.
Although a podium finish was a step too far this time, Farrell became a household name for his efforts, particularly because speed skating had lost Government funding after the 2018 Olympic Games.
Speaking before the Olympics the pro-skater, who is studying DMU’s Sports Management MSc, said: “Losing my government funding was difficult and there were periods when I’d been really short for money. The financial support from DMU has helped me to focus more on my speed skating, allowing me to keep training and competing.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by how understanding everyone at the university has been. DMU really does give extra help and consideration to students who are athletes and for that reason, I’d recommend my course to anyone.”
Pierre Ducrey was a 2003 graduate from the award winning CIES / FIFA Master course and is now the Olympic Games Operations Director at the IOC. He was based at DMU’s International Centre for Sports History and Culture for his Humanities of Sport module studies from September to December in 2002. The DMU FIFA Master course team is comprised of Scientific Directors Prof Martin Polley, Prof Pierre Lanfranchi and Module Coordinator James Panter.
In a recent interview, Pierre said: “Completing the FIFA Master proved to be a key step in my career. It allowed me to meet fantastic individuals who became close friends, meet with key people in the industry and confirmed that this was the career I wanted to pursue.
“It also allowed me to access internship opportunities which gave me a first chance to acquire the experience which is so often needed to get started in the sports industry.”
Anna is currently doing her fieldwork module with the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association (BBSA) while studying at DMU. The semester-long placement is part of DMU’s Sport Management MSc.
She said: “During the Olympics, I have been collecting data on the media and social media coverage that BBSA's teams have received, with an indication of which individual athletes receive the most coverage, as well as the most popular topics across all media platforms.
“After the data collection will finish I will be analysing the media and social media coverage to present it to the sponsors and partners. We will also identify any gaps in coverage or areas to improve for the next Olympic period. Another task that I will be involved in will be supporting the marketing for the push track events organised by BBSA over the summer, at their track in Bath.”
Anna says there are many aspects of her work with the BBSA that will help her future career.
“The media coverage is a vital part of working with sponsors and partners, as without it the reach they can achieve is much smaller, so it is much more difficult to find a sponsor for an athlete that does not have a media presence”, Anna explained.
“So, working with BBSA in this crucial time for them shows me the importance of those aspects, and the knowledge I gather from this experience will help me in the future job or when I decide to start my own business.
“The ability to work with the data that I have collected will hugely help me improve my analytical skills, which is vital nowadays. Also, presenting the findings to the partners and sponsors will further improve my presentation and communication skills.
“Working with the marketing for the summer events will support the development of an array of digital marketing skills, which are one of the most desired skills in the market these days.”
The Sport Management MSc programme leader, Dr Dichter, added: “Gaining valuable sport industry experience is an important part of DMU’s course. We greatly appreciate the opportunities offered from sport organizations like the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association, and it’s amazing that Anna has had this experience during the Olympic Games.”
Coverage of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games begins this Friday with more than 80 hours covered on air by Channel 4
- The FIFA Master is organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University, SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland). It has been ranked the No.1 Course in Europe in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.
Posted on Wednesday 2 March 2022