Craig Reedie came from a love of badminton. His efforts for his sport included the building of its own six-court hall and official offices. For the International Federation, he resolved major political issues and worked for the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic Program. For the BOA, he helped a change in the structure of British sport and the organization of bids to host the Olympic Games. Seven years of organization led to the successful 2012 London Games. A member of the IOC since 1994, he became president of WADA, facing the Russian doping issues.

An awesome festival of sporting excellence and competition, the Olympic Games have now evolved into a major international event with great cultural, political, economic and social importance.

The Olympic Games Explained is an introductory guide to the history and meaning of the four-yearly phenomenon that is the modern Olympic Games. The book provides a comprehensive overview of 'Olympism' from its Ancient Greek origins through the beginnings of the International Olympic Committee to the global Olympic Movement in the twenty-first century.

Each chapter offers a range of study tasks and review questions to help students develop their understanding of key concepts in Olympic studies.

The Olympic Games Explained represents a comprehensive introduction to the central themes and background of the modern Games. This includes a consideration of ancient games, the modern revival at the end of the 19th Century and the progressive development of the Games throughout the 20th Century. The text considers a range of topics including: - The Ancient Olympics - The Media and the Olympics - Olympic Marketing and Sponsorship This Multidisciplinary text will seek to incorporate the theme of Olympism into other subject areas such as geography, history, art, media and business studies and draws specifically from the rich historical contribution of Britain to the Olympic movement. In order to enhance students learning experiences, the book will be complemented by a dedicated website offering access to unique archive and other document sources. this book aims to bring to its audience the best Olympic educational expertise available.