It’s apparent that technology is creating major waves in every industry and changing the world as we have known it. What was once only available to those at the forefront of advancement is now touching every single aspect of our lives, and the Olympic Games is no exception.

As the Olympic Games come to an end, Amalgama wanted to highlight a quiet revolution that is taking place beyond the roar of the crowds and the flash of gold medals. In the background, technological innovations are transforming the Games as we know them—making them more sustainable, enhancing athlete performance, and creating deeper connections between fans and the action.

Here’s a glimpse into the future of the Olympics and how technology is setting the stage for a new era of sports.

Greener Olympics

The Challenge: Picture this—thousands of athletes, millions of fans, and countless resources pouring into a single city. The environmental impact of hosting the Olympics has been a hot topic lately, with waste and emissions casting a shadow over the event’s legacy.

Paris 2024’s Vision: Paris is aiming to make the next Games the greenest yet. Whether it’s a stadium powered by renewable energy, traveling in electric shuttles, or grabbing a snack sourced from sustainable farms, these are real changes that Paris is implementing to cut its carbon footprint by 50%. There is still a long road ahead, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Future Prospects: This isn’t limited to the Olympics; it’s a shift towards a more sustainable future for all large-scale events. We agree that the future lies in distributed cloud technology— a world where entire control rooms filled with servers are replaced by cloud-based solutions that reduce physical footprints and energy use.

Enhanced Performance Tracking

The Challenge: Monitoring athletes’ performance and health is no longer reduced to gut feeling and years of experience. Now, coaches can rely on technology to boost their trainee’s performance.

• Wearable Tech in Action: Behind every record-breaking sprint or flawless dive lies a story of countless hours of training, much of it now powered by data. Picture athletes wearing smart gear that tracks every heartbeat, every stride, and every muscle movement. Coaches now have a ton of data, helping them fine-tune training and reduce the risk of injuries.
• Data Analytics and Precision Training: Think of a coach analyzing hours of footage, looking for that one moment to correct. Now imagine that same coach using advanced analytics to instantly pinpoint exactly what needs improvement. Athletes are training smarter, using data into actionable insights.
• VR Training: Picture a gymnast, not on the balance beam but in a virtual world where they can rehearse routines repeatedly without the fear of falling. It’s training the mind and body in tandem, preparing athletes for real-world pressure with virtual-world safety.

Fair Play and Security

The Challenge: Inaccurate and biased decisions, as well as a lack of transparency and security in ticketing and anti-doping mechanisms have always tainted the Olympics credibility. However, technology is slowly improving this by ensuring accountability and transparency.

Advanced Fair Play Tech: VAR systems, goal-line technology, and instant replay are increasingly bringing fairness to the Games. These tools don’t just catch mistakes—they uphold the integrity of the competition, ensuring that every outcome is as true as the effort put into it.

Blockchain’s Role in Transparency: Beyond the field, issues of ticket fraud and doping scandals have long plagued the Olympics. Blockchain technology is turning these problems into stories of the past. By securing transactions and data with unbreakable codes, blockchain is safeguarding everything from ticket authenticity to the fairness of anti-doping measures.

Fan Engagement

Augmented Reality (AR): Imagine watching a basketball game and suddenly being able to see live stats hovering above your favorite player. Or, scanning your ticket and getting an AR tour of the Olympic Village. These are some examples of how AR is revolutionizing fan engagement, turning spectators into active participants.

Cloud Computing and Global Reach: In the past, watching the Olympics often meant waiting for a replay or missing a crucial event. But now, thanks to cloud computing, the Games are always within reach. High-quality streams, real-time updates, and on-demand highlights are just a click away, no matter where you are in the world.

Final Thoughts

As time unfolds, we will begin to see more interesting and innovative ways that technology can shape the landscape of the fitness world and beyond. The Olympic Games is the perfect example of the intersection of fitness and tech from a different lens. While we are used to seeing “everyday tech” like the Apple Watch, WHOOP trackers, and Tonal equipment, these advancements change the world of professional sports and how we enjoy interacting with them.

These technological innovations are more than upgrades—they’re reshaping the Olympic Games, making them greener, smarter, and more connected than ever before. This technology changes how we interact with sports in the future all around the globe.  At Amalgama, we’re inspired by these changes and passionate about applying similar innovations to the digital products we create, especially in the wellness industry. Let’s keep pushing the limits of what’s possible.

Tomas Agrimbau
Co-founder of Amalgama. Entrepreneur, passionate about innovation and technology. Like many founders, he’s taken on various roles at Amalgama, primarily as CTO and Head of People. Father of two, runner, and former sailing competitor.