Environmental sustainability in sports events: specifications for responsible management

Sports events play an important role in society by bringing people together, inspiring communities, and building resilience. However, as these events grow bigger and more complex, they face serious environmental challenges including carbon emissions, waste generation, and resource overuse. This research investigates how environmental sustainability can be integrated into sports event management, focusing on strategies to reduce ecological harm while maintaining operational excellence. The study combines a review of academic literature, interviews with industry professionals, and case studies of major events like the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the Paris 2024 Olympics. It identifies key environmental challenges, explores the effectiveness of sustainability tools and frameworks such as ISO 20121 and the circular economy model, and highlights the importance of collaboration among stakeholders. Findings show that making sports events more sustainable requires strong leadership, cultural changes, and innovative practices tailored to specific contexts. While zero environmental impact remains unattainable, significant reductions are possible through mindful resource usage, energy budgeting, and waste minimization. This research aims to demonstrate that sports events can serve not only as platforms for athletic excellence but also as catalysts for global environmental progress, proving that meaningful change is both necessary and achievable.