Olympic celebrity - Introduction

To understand the power, complexity and contradictions associated with Olympic celebrity, it is essential that we explore some of the unique features of sport as a cultural site and practice, and the Olympics as a global sport mega-event. As such, we introduce this special issue by: (a) examining the uniqueness of sport celebrity; (b) discussing the social significance of the Olympics as a sport mega-event; (c) presenting a brief overview of contributions; and (d) offering a cautionary note about the contradictions of the Olympics, and the associated dangers of becoming incorporated into what we refer to as the 'academic paparazzi'.