Sporting Capital

In a world of competing public policy priorities, economic challenges and political uncertainty, sports development organisations and initiatives need to adapt to survive. This book makes the case for 'Sporting Capital' as a new conceptual model of sports participation with the potential to transform public policy and practice in sports development. The central argument presented is that a model of Sporting Capital - with its three domains of physiological, social and psychological attributes - provides a missing framework, creating a new impetus for sustained growth in community sport by joining up the levels at which sports development is planned and implemented. Touching on important issues such as youth sport, public health, volunteering, disability, ethnicity and social inequality, it examines patterns of sports participation in relation to age, gender and social class and offers recommendations for strategic policy improvements that can be implemented by practitioners working on the frontline of community sport. Sporting Capital: Transforming Sports Development Policy and Practice provides valuable insights for all those interested in sports development, youth sport, community sport, or sport and social policy.

Throughout history, the number of participating countries at the Olympic Games has grown. Only in 1978 and 1980, compared to the previous and following Games, the number of countries decreased significantly. With the increasing number of participant countries, the notoriety of the Olympic Games also extended. As a result, the number of partners in the OCOGs (Organising Committees for the Olympic Games) sponsorship programs increased. In 2018, there were more partners than ever before. Through investment in the Olympic Games, sponsors obtain many advantages. On the one hand, through advertisement their notoriety increases. On the other hand, the international cross-linking of sponsors extends. With the growing international fame, every time the Olympic Games are held, a certain motto that refers to international links is represented. In Rio 2016, the Olympic Games caused a sensation with the establishment of a Refugee Olympic Team (ROT). The debate of national representation and awareness grew extensively. People’s positions towards the migration movement strongly differ from each other. Some people agree with the IOC’s intention to support the migration movement and particular refugees. On the other hand, many people criticise the decreasing national character of the Olympic Games. However, at the Olympic Games in Rio 2016, the ROT marched between the Olympic flag and the Brazilian Olympic Team (cf. ibid). During the introduction of the ROT concept, Bach postulates: In the context of the selection of the athletes of the ROT, the IOC cooperated with the NOCs (National Olympic Committees). ‘NOCs around the world were asked to identify any refugee athlete with the potential to qualify for the Olympic Games Rio 2016.’ (IOC, 2016). The criteria to which refugees must adhere to be selected are ‘sporting level, official refugee status verified by the United Nations, and personal situation and background.’ (ibid). After the foundation of the ROT, people became more a more aware of the question of national representation in the Olympic Games. Since the first modern Olympics, foreign-born athletes have competed for other nations, but the establishment of the ROT – which does not represent any one specific nation – expanded debates over nationalism and national belonging.

Drawing on primary research within voluntary sports clubs in the UK and secondary analysis of the wider international literature on social capital, this text focuses on the micro-processes of social capital development and how they play out in specific social settings. In so doing, it adds to existing research by developing a rich, contextualised, process-based view of social capital in action. Critically reviewing theoretical and empirical literature on social capital, the book highlights the key current debates. The empirical core of the book draws on ethnographic observation over 18 months at voluntary sports clubs in the UK, including in-depth interviews with sports club members and organisers. The text explicitly seeks to set this empirical work in its wider context, by considering the findings in relation to other international studies of social capital in both sports clubs and other types of organisation. The book draws on international research from a whole range of countries: UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Japan, Vanuatu, Czech Republic, Germany, and many others. The book establishes a transferable, process-based understanding of how social capital develops – both within sports clubs and beyond. This is an illuminating reading for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with an interest in the sociology of sport, sport development, sport management, sport policy, social theory, social policy, or social networks.

Sport is everything, but never solely sport. The commodification of human pleasure in or about many sports led to an increased political interest and dimension with regard to the major leagues and their stars. Corruption and scandals increased, while the human being in sports was and still is very often exploited or mistreated. These problems often relate to the political dimension as well. Consequently, it seems very promising and necessary alike to take a closer look at the interrelation of sports and politics. The present volume addresses this interrelation from different angles, when talking about issues like racism, gender inequality, or classism.

Key Themes in Youth Sport is a concise, easy to read reference-style guide to the core concepts in the study of young people’s relationship with sport, exercise and leisure. Designed to help students get to grips with the basics and go on to master the central ideas and debates in contemporary youth sport, this book reflects the multi-disciplinary interest in youth sport, exploring perspectives from Sociology, Psychology, Physiology, Sports Policy, Sports Development, and Physical Education.

Drawing on Legitimation Code Theory (LCT), this volume reveals the knowledge practices and language of critical reflection in a range of different subjects, making clear how it can be taught and learned Critical thinking is widely held to be a key attribute required for successfully living, learning and earning in modern societies. Universities now list critical thinking as a key graduate quality and use ‘critical reflection’ as a way of teaching students how to become reflective and ethical professionals. Yet, what ‘critical reflection’ actually involves remains vague in research, teaching practice, and assessment. Studies draw on LCT, a fast-growing framework for revealing the knowledge practices that enable educational success and the individual chapters focus on a diverse range of contexts across the disciplinary map, including education, science, arts, sociology and nursing. The book further connects research and practice by presenting in-depth analyses of critical reflection and providing practical insights into how LCT can be used to design pedagogic interventions. The book offers a rich resource for both scholars and teachers who want to demystify critical reflection and prepare university students for the modern workplace.

As ongoing high-profile drug scandals have demonstrated, sports organisations rarely have a coherent strategy to manage the role and relationship their sport has with different types of drugs (from alcohol to supplements to prescription drugs to doping). This important and timely book argues that drug control-led integrity management of sport is more than an ideological battle around doping. The relationship sport has with the drugs industry has become a much broader management problem. The breadth of the problem compels stakeholders in sport (including athletes, coaches, fans, public servants and sports managers) to understand better the issues in pursuit of effective strategies and responses. Drawing on cutting-edge management theory, this book explores the dilemma of drugs in sport. It introduces the policy and business contexts that have shaped responses to this issue and examines its significance to sport and integrity management, including human resource management, marketing, and risk management. It discusses practical management concerns, such as working with scientists and anti-doping organisations, and offers clear recommendations for the future management of sports integrity. The first book to offer a complete framework for a drugs management strategy for sport, Managing Drugs in Sport is essential reading for all advanced students, researchers and practitioners working in sport management, sport business, sport policy, sport governance and business ethics.