[TYPE THE COMPANY NAME]
PSC3701 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE
April 2026
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of
the contents of the document.]
, Exam (elaborations)
PSC3701 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE April
2026
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Course
Contemporary issues in Politics: Capita Selecta (PSC3701)
Se inutes reading time
PSC3701 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE April
2026; 100% TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and explanations.
Grix, J. and Carmichael, F. 2012. Why do governments invest in elite sport: A
polemic. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics; 4:1, 73-90. • Heere,
B., Walker, M., Gibson, H. et al. 2013.
1. The "Virtuous Cycle" Myth
Governments often justify spending millions on Olympic-level athletes by claiming it creates a
"Virtuous Cycle." The logic goes:
Elite Success (winning medals) inspires the public.
The public experiences a "Feel-good Factor" (national pride).
This pride leads to increased participation (grassroots sports).
Higher participation leads to a healthier population and a larger pool of talent to
produce the next elite winners.
The Grix & Carmichael Challenge: They argue there is no empirical evidence that elite
success trickles down to grassroots participation. Instead, they suggest the cycle is a convenient
political narrative used to justify massive spending on "glamour projects."
2. Sport as "Soft Power" and Prestige
If the "Virtuous Cycle" doesn't work, why do they do it? The authors suggest that elite sport is
actually used for:
PSC3701 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE
April 2026
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of
the contents of the document.]
, Exam (elaborations)
PSC3701 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE April
2026
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Course
Contemporary issues in Politics: Capita Selecta (PSC3701)
Se inutes reading time
PSC3701 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2026 - DUE April
2026; 100% TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and explanations.
Grix, J. and Carmichael, F. 2012. Why do governments invest in elite sport: A
polemic. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics; 4:1, 73-90. • Heere,
B., Walker, M., Gibson, H. et al. 2013.
1. The "Virtuous Cycle" Myth
Governments often justify spending millions on Olympic-level athletes by claiming it creates a
"Virtuous Cycle." The logic goes:
Elite Success (winning medals) inspires the public.
The public experiences a "Feel-good Factor" (national pride).
This pride leads to increased participation (grassroots sports).
Higher participation leads to a healthier population and a larger pool of talent to
produce the next elite winners.
The Grix & Carmichael Challenge: They argue there is no empirical evidence that elite
success trickles down to grassroots participation. Instead, they suggest the cycle is a convenient
political narrative used to justify massive spending on "glamour projects."
2. Sport as "Soft Power" and Prestige
If the "Virtuous Cycle" doesn't work, why do they do it? The authors suggest that elite sport is
actually used for:
