Olympic day after and university- DOI: 10.4025/reveducfis.v20i4.8021

Abstract

Just after the end of each Olympic Games an interesting repetitive phenomenon happens in Brazil: unsatisfied with the performance of Brazilian athletes sport managers, former athletes, sport journalists, sport entrepreneurs, sport politicians, among other sport “lovers” come to the public to manifest their criticisms, to present possible explanations for the failure and more than this to suggest efficient formulas to be successful in the next Olympic Games. The main pointed out causes of the failure are the absence of a broad sport education program and the lack of financial investment, especially in the public sector, on the high performance sport. In turn, the solutions presented are the broadening of sport practice starting in the schools and the creation of government mechanisms to improve financial investments and support to athletes, clubs and sport organizations. If the causes of failure and the solutions for success are so well known what justify the repetitive and tiring event each four years? The objective of this essay is to reflect about some of the factors that have been contributing to give survival to this repetitive phenomenon and to discuss the role of the university to face those factors which have delayed the development of high performance sport in our country.