This book examines the impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympic Games and highlights the latest　findings　in the areas of sport policy, elite sports system,　sport media, sport facility management　and sport social　development in　the two host countries - China and Britain.　It　identifies　the role　of national and local governments,　universities and educational institutions in the delivery of elite sport in　different　cultural and social settings. Aspects of the elite sports system are also analysed, such as elite athletes' training and education,　athletes' rights and welfare both during and after an athlete’s career. Finally, the book considers the legacy of the Olympic Games in the areas of sport participation, public diplomacy, education and cultural communication in　Europe and China.

This book was originally published as a special issue of The International Journal of the History of Sport.