A Lesson in Corruption, Human Rights, and the Olympic Games

Mega sporting events—particularly the Olympic Games and FIFA Men’s World Cup—are notorious for systemic corruption and human rights abuses. Residents are forcibly removed to make way for dubious infrastructure; products are sourced from suspect supply chains; officials are bribed to circumvent procurement protocols, and embezzlement estimates are high. Lesser known is this: host countries are now adopting measures to curb these abuses, leaving a legacy of improved host-country anti-corruption and human rights governance.