Abstract:

The complexity of the project and the uncertainty related to its unique character are important factors affecting the risk associated with the implementation of a given project. The subjects of the analysis were the risk factors related to the organization of marathons classified as mass sports events. None of such events can be flawlessly planned and none can be carried out strictly according to a previously developed plan. Risk management, as a sequence of separate activities during the organization and course of a sports event, especially the identification and prioritization of threats, helps the event organizers to cope with the uncertainty related to individual aspects of the event. This gives more space for manoeuvre, allowing the organizers to pay special attention to those risk factors, the minimization or elimination of which at an early stage allows minimising the probability of negative effects and creates the greatest probability of achieving positive results. Risk, if left unattended, tends to degrade the running event value and the effective risk management adds extra value to it.

The research aimed at analysing identified risk factors for marathons in the context of defining the character of managerial decisions related to marathons organisation. As the results of the research verification of risk factors and their logical grouping were conducted. The authors carried out the validity assessment of the research instrument (the Cronbach’s alpha statistics was used) as well as conducted the cluster and factor analyses to illustrate the research results and provide results of higher quality in the context of taking risk mitigation actions for marathon organization.