A global gold rush is changing sport
Fans may be cooling on the Olympics, but elsewhere technology is transforming how sport is watched

A brawny armada of athletes from more than 200 countries will sail down the Seine on July 26th, as part of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic games. From the Mongolian team in embroidered kaftans to the Canadians in Lululemon bomber-jackets, the procession is designed to symbolise the gathering of every corner of humanity. The message to audiences (and corporate sponsors) is clear: in a fractious, divided world, nothing unites people like sport.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Game changer”
More from Leaders

How to respond to the riots on Britain’s streets
The violence demands robust policing, but it also requires cool heads

Is the big state back in Britain?
The risk is not too much interventionism, but too little audacity

How to make tourism work for locals and visitors alike
Holidays don’t have to be hell
Genomic medicines can cost $3m a dose. How to make them affordable
The treatments are marvels of innovation. Their pricing must be inventive, too
Chinese companies are winning the global south
Their expansion abroad holds important lessons for Western incumbents
The Middle East must step back from the brink
That still means starting with a ceasefire in Gaza