Santiago 2014: Stakeholders’ Appraisement

This chapter discusses the media’s reaction to the South American Games, focusing on the promotion of this event, the strategies used for reaching the public, and the self-evaluation by those who were directly involved with the organization. Overall, media coverage of the games had a positive connotation with a focus on the achievements of Chilean athletes, the presence of high caliber international athletes, the quality of the sport infrastructure, and the high attendance and overall response from the public. The chapter also discusses criticism levied by some stakeholders, including a legal setback experienced by the Government Accountability Office which rejected expenses submitted by the local organizing committee. The setback revealed the inherent risks that countries face when local organizing committees possess too much freedom to operate without much accountability.