Global Games, Local Trust: The Political Dividend of Olympic Participation in China

Can mere participation in international sports events, even without the responsibilities of hosting, generate political dividends? This study examines how China's participation in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics momentarily boosted political trust in a non-Western context. Using a natural experiment design and panel data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) dataset (2012-2020), we document a short-lived yet significant rise in political trust amongst citizens interviewed during Olympic months. Mechanism analyses highlight multiple intertwined channels: a Basking in Reflected Glory (BIRG) effect, which is particularly potent when local athletes achieve gold-medal success; a heightened impact among individuals who rely more on the internet, suggesting digital amplification of celebratory narratives; and the strategic deployment of state-controlled media, evidenced by increased positive sentiment in news broadcasts and a stronger corresponding effect on political trust amongst citizens who primarily rely on television for information. These findings offer new insights into how large-scale sporting events enable governments, even without hosting rights, to leverage symbolic achievements and shape public perceptions of governance performance and legitimacy through psychological and media-driven pathways.