I am currently a Professor of Sports Management and Sports Sociology and Head of the Institute for Sport and Sustainable Development at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein. My research focuses on sport for development, as well as the intersections between sport, policy, health and the environment. With over a decade of experience in research, teaching and implementation, my work seeks to bridge the gap between the academic and practical worlds.
Sport management; sport sociology; social cohesion; sustainability; health; sport for development
E-learning quickly became a crucial tool for universities and other higher education institutions during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The field of sport and physical education (PE) was no exception. However, though there is considerable growth in digital technologies in sport or physical education, we have very little evidence about the use and outcomes of these technologies. Thus, this study aims to document how e-learning technologies and pedagogical approaches were employed in the field of sport, the challenges and successes associated with these approaches, and potential avenues for improvement. To do so, a total of 27 responses were collected with two online qualitative surveys, one respectively for students (n = 15) and one for teachers (n = 12). Structured follow-up interviews with four students and one additional teacher were conducted to verify and deepen the responses. The findings show that interaction and variety were critical components of successful online learning. However, teachers reported difficulties motivating students, especially if no visual connection was present. Ultimately, even with innovation, variety, and interaction, sport and physical education’s practical and social nature does not fully translate to the online setting. Thus, we conclude by proposing potential avenues for practice and research to respond to the challenges documented here.
Viewed as the glue that binds societies, social cohesion is considered an essential ingredient to address common societal challenges. Definitions and associated conceptual frameworks usually summarise social cohesion as collective attributes and behaviours characterised by positive social relations, a sense of identification or belonging, and an orientation towards the common good. However, there are a large variety of definitions, and disagreement exists about what constitutes the core components, causes and consequences of social cohesion.
Social cohesion is increasingly present and prioritised on the European political agenda. Generally defined as some combination of trust, solidarity and identity, social cohesion is considered the 'glue' that binds societies together. Due to its interactive nature and supposedly universal appeal, sport has been called upon to play a role in fostering social cohesion across the continent. Accordingly, the European Union has invested considerable policy attention and financial resources into related sports projects. Despite this growing attention, we still have little understanding of how social cohesion is conceptualised in EU sport policy or how political priorities and funding requirements influence funded projects. Therefore, this paper aims to contribute to discussions on the role of (sport) policy and funding priorities on our understanding of social cohesion as well as the implementation of sport for social cohesion projects. This paper's findings are generated through a Critical Discourse Analysis of European policy texts and over 200 Erasmus + Sport project descriptions. Based on this, I argue that the Erasmus + funding mechanism and its associated policies take a broad, politically convenient view of social cohesion and endorse a predominantly individual-centred, technical approach to fostering social cohesion. Ultimately, this ignores the systems or privileged groups that inhibit social cohesion and fails to address the root causes of and barriers to social cohesion.
There have been growing efforts to harness sport to tackle social issues and promote development. Social cohesion is arguably the most prominent objective of these activities. However, social cohesion remains a contested concept subject to many definitions, and we do not have a clear picture of how social cohesion is defined or supported in sport programmes or organizations. This makes it difficult to identify successful approaches, develop measurements and build theories. To begin addressing these gaps, we have conducted a systematic scoping review, leading to an analysis of 35 studies exploring sport for social cohesion. Overall, we find that the literature fails to consistently define social cohesion, though it tends to coalesce around a set of core dimensions. Likewise, programme elements are inconsistently reported. Moving forward, we call on researchers to clearly define social cohesion and explore its sub-dimensions in more depth, which, in turn, can foster greater theoretical development.
Sport for development (SFD) has become an increasingly well-defined field of academic inquiry, and numerous related theories have emerged. Existing theories have however been critcised for their lack of interdisciplinary engagement, lack of connection to specific outcome areas and challenges translating to practice. These issues are especially evident concerning the linkages between sport and social cohesion. Sport has been prominently positioned as a vehicle to promote social cohesion, yet the term remains vaguely defined and programme practices are underreported. The following paper seeks to address this by presenting a conceptual framework linking common practices, mechanisms and social cohesion outcomes. Findings from literature and previous work are contextualised against existing theories, allowing practices to be connected to mechanisms and specific social cohesion outcomes. In turn, this framework can help provide practical guidance to implementers, support programme design, and identify areas for future development.
Abstract Over the last 30 years there has been a growth of actors involved in Sport for Development (SFD). Though some of these actors aligned with prevailing power structures, others challenged existing power structures. In that sense, the SFD movement became disparate and multi-faceted and could be seen as an emerging area that could challenge dominant structures. With time, the SFD sector has coalesced around a variety of formal structures, and these more ‘rebellious’ tendencies have been dampened. Though some have argued that these structures show adaptation or professionalisation, using Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s work as a foundation, I will argue that these changes emerged as part of a purposeful process of elite capture. In particular, elite capture has occurred in three interconnected ways. First, elite actors established standards, policies and guidelines that aligned with their interests. Second, elites imposed those standards by funding and controlling projects in the field. Finally, elites legitimised the standards they set by taking over avenues for knowledge production within SFD. Taken together, elite capture limits the ability of SFD actors to challenge the systemic factors that impede their participants and communities. To escape this, as Táíwò argues, means more than just offering representation to ‘marginalised’ groups. New structures outside of the constraints of existing ones are needed.
Social cohesion is recognised as the glue that holds societies together and is connected to numerous positive social outcomes. Many authors have defined the term and its dimensions, leading to a wide range of different perspectives. Indeed, an array of dimensions have emerged as researchers have conceptualized social cohesion based on the theoretical assumptions of their disciplines. This wide range of disciplinary contributions has created a rich but muddled research field. In line with the growing recognition of social cohesion, there is a need to better understand social cohesion’s evolution and status within broader academic research. Thus, this study has two main objectives: (i) to analyse the nature and evolution of literature related to social cohesion and (ii) to identify the thematic areas related to social cohesion research and their connections to specific disciplines. To achieve this, a bibliometric analysis of 5027 journal articles listed in the Web of Science (WoS) was conducted. Through this, a substantial increase in research activity was noted, and the broad, multidisciplinary nature of the research is also illustrated. However, there remains room for further collaboration across disciplines as well as research exploring how different social groups and institutions contribute to social cohesion.
The fitness sector is an essential player in the promotion of physical activity and healthy behaviour in Europe. However, the sector is confronted with numerous socio-demographic trends that will shape its ability to be financially successful and contribute to public health. The sector must understand current drivers of change and the skills its workforce needs to navigate them. As such, using the results of a 2019 Delphi Survey of over 50 fitness experts from 26 countries, we aim to define the drivers of change facing the sector and identify the skills needed by the fitness workforce to navigate these changes. We find that several technological, social, health and economic trends affect the sector. As a result, so-called soft skills such as communication or customer service, along with digital technology skills, are becoming increasingly important. There is also growing recognition that fitness professionals need to be trained to work with a number of special populations. Furthermore, we argue that many of the trends identified here-such as the increasing use of technology or the focus on individual customer needs-have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We conclude by arguing that well-developed, pan-European qualifications are needed to address these common issues.
The sport for development (SFD) field has grown significantly, and there has been increasing professionalization within the sector. E-learning tools, in particular, have increasingly been deployed to provide education opportunities within the field. Despite this, little is known about the delivery, content or pedagogical approaches within e-learning connecting sport and sustainable development. Against this backdrop, this paper provides an initial mapping of existing online courses connecting sport and sustainable development. To do so, we conduct a systematic search using two online resources and map out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and pedagogical approaches present within courses. Our results show that courses are primarily self-paced, asynchronous offers that focus on health, inequality and peacebuilding. Furthermore, offers mainly rely on the motivation and resources of individuals and organizations to complete courses and provide limited technical or social support. To conclude, we propose ways for courses to provide more engaging and inclusive experiences.
Sport for development (SFD) has become an increasingly recognised and used approach to support positive social development across several contexts and thematic areas, including as it relates to improving the employability of young people not in employment or education (NEETs). Despite this, there has been limited research in this area, and we only have a partial picture of the experiences, mechanisms, and design of sport-for-employability programmes. Responding to this, the following paper presents the results of a qualitative study on the experiences and outcomes associated with an employability-focused SFD programme based in Casablanca, Morocco. Results illustrate how the programme provided crucial support to encourage consistent engagement and that this programme offered valuable opportunities for practical experiences and recognised qualifications. Nonetheless, many participants remain in short-term or precarious employment situations. Thus, closer alignment with job market needs and engagement with employment policy issues are likely needed to support longer-term, more secure employment.
Over the last two decades, sport has become a recognised tool to achieve sustainable development outcomes. Known as sport for development (SFD), this approach can broadly be defined as the intentional use of sport to achieve development objectives. Many SFD organisations implement methods that seek to achieve developmental goals by reorienting sport away from its competitive aspects and encouraging participation, fair play and communication. Of these methods, football3 is arguably the most widespread. Despite its popularity, there remain challenges in its implementation. As a result, there have been numerous calls to develop educational materials and opportunities around football3. In response, the football3 for all project led to the development and launch of a freely accessible, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). However, there is still little knowledge about how online learning approaches are used in SFD, how they accommodate the practical and social nature of SFD, and whether they optimise student learning. Using findings from feedback surveys and focus group discussions, we present results from the development and evaluation of the football3 MOOC. The findings suggest a high level of satisfaction with the course, but also a need for practical tools and exchange to improve delivery on the pitch.
Abstract The aim of the current study was to examine risk and protective factors related to bullying in sport. Adopting the methodological approach outlined by Arksey and O’Malley (International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8(1):19–32, 2005), 37 articles met the inclusion criteria. A consistent definition of bullying could not be identified in the publications examined, and several articles ( n = 8) did not explicitly define bullying. The most frequent risk factor identified was an individual’s social background ( n = 9). Negative influence of coaches ( n = 5), level of competition ( n = 5), lack of supportive club culture ( n = 5) and issues in locker rooms ( n = 4) were among the most commonly cited risk factors for bullying in sport settings. Preventative policies were cited as the most common method to reduce the incidence of bullying ( n = 13). Contextually tailored intervention programmes ( n = 5) were also noted as a key protective factor, particularly for marginalised groups, including athletes with disabilities or members of the LGBTQ+ community. The need for sport-specific bullying prevention education was highlighted by 10 of the articles reviewed. In summary, the current review accentuates the range of risk and protective factors associated with sport participation. Furthermore, the need for educational training programmes to support coaches in addressing and preventing bullying within sport settings is emphasised.
Discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation remains a pressing challenge throughout Europe, including within Ireland. Despite this, anti-discrimination education is lacking and uneven within school settings. Responding to this gap and seeking to capitalise on the perceived social potential of sport, one Irish NGO has begun delivering sport-based anti-discrimination workshops to students in primary and secondary schools nationwide. This paper presents an evaluation of these workshops, putting a specific focus on the learning outcomes generated. Data were obtained from standardised, open-ended student feedback forms and qualitatively analysed using a Framework Analysis. The results illustrate fairly consistent learning outcomes, but these outcomes generally focus on individual behaviours and attitudes. This contrasts strongly with literature on anti-discrimination education, which recognises a need to reflect on privilege and social structures while also developing clear strategies to address discrimination. To conclude, we propose recommendations and ways forward to help address both individual and structural realities within such sport-based workshops.
Abstract Over the last two decades, the sport for development (SFD) sector has grown significantly, and there has been a concurrent increase in research and educational activities to support the field. In particular, academic institutions are taking a more significant role, contributing to a growing body of literature and developing numerous SFD-specific courses. Despite these initiatives and the important role assigned to academia, academic activities related to SFD have remained fragmented along geographic or disciplinary lines, and our knowledge of academic activities and collaborations is limited and focused on actors in the Global North. This study seeks to address these gaps and, through an international survey of academic institutions, aims to (1) establish the teaching, research and partnership activities within and between academic institutions around the globe; and (2) identify challenges and inform solutions for greater cooperation within and between academic institutions in the SFD context. Overall, our results show that the SFD is a highly multidisciplinary field involving institutions from a perhaps wider-than-expected range of countries. However, funding, support and recognition of SFD and associated academic actors, especially in the Global South, remains limited. To conclude, we propose potential ways forward to address some of these issues.
Structural changes, growing diversity, the dissolution of boundaries in media and communication, the individualisation of lifestyles, and increased mobility in a globalised world have led to more diversity in all areas of society. This has been accompanied by fundamental changes that have privileged market-based approaches and reduced government provision of social services, leading to growing inequality both within and between countries. Against this background, it is imperative to understand how inequality manifests itself within sport and physical activity and how sport can be (re)oriented to combat social inequality. This chapter discusses how inequality takes form in sport and presents specific examples from a gender-focused lens. It then critically discusses how sport can help challenge inequalities and concludes by highlighting the importance of training sport educators to address inequality and other social issues.
Sport for Development (SFD) leverages sports as a tool to support broader sustainable development goals, particularly in underserved communities worldwide. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology advances, its application in SFD offers both promising opportunities and significant challenges in areas such as curriculum design, evaluation, and participant engagement. Through a qualitative survey of experts and practitioners analysed through Thematic Analysis (TA), this paper explores perspectives on the potential of AI to enhance the delivery and management of SFD initiatives, as well as potential risks and needs in the field. Key perceived benefits include compensating for deficient organisational capacities and supporting the performance of both administrative and conceptual tasks. Potential risks include the propagation of increasingly generic approaches to SFD programming, loss of critical thinking skills, and concerns around participant safeguarding. To mediate this, exchange, education, and SFD-specific policies are seen as crucial.
Sport, physical activity and social cohesion are increasingly linked within the academic literature. Indeed, studies recognise both the importance of social cohesion for promoting physical activity and the potential of sport to support social cohesion. Up until now, however, the ways in which social cohesion has been defined and measured in the context of sport and physical activity have not been the subject of much academic attention. Through a scoping review of studies measuring social cohesion in the sport and physical activity context, we aim to uncover how social cohesion is defined and measured, thus allowing us to better grasp how the concept is understood and operationalised in this field. As such, full-text inclusion occurred when studies quantitatively measured social cohesion through a questionnaire/survey instrument in connection with sport or physical activity participation or within programmes using sport to foster social cohesion. A total of 40 papers were included in the review, showing broad support for the argument that social cohesion is positively related to sport or physical activity participation. However, the retained texts engage on only a surface level with the concept of social cohesion, with around half not defining the term and the associated measurement tools using only a fraction of the dimensions typically associated with social cohesion. To conclude, we propose future directions to enhance conceptual engagement with and measurement of social cohesion.
Sport for development (SFD) has emerged as a significant field of activity and has increasingly been critiqued for focusing on micro-level initiatives as a remedy to larger scale social or structural issues. This has led numerous scholars to propose more political meso or macro level approaches to deliver improved, sustainable outcomes. One such solution involves direct engagement in policy advocacy to support, and influence, policies that can directly benefit participants in SFD programmes. Against this background, our paper maps policy advocacy in the SFD field. Using results generated from a survey initiated in the context of a pan-European project, we map out the policy advocacy areas, activities and relationships within the sector. Our results show that most organisations engage in some form of advocacy, but much of this appears limited to the kind of self-interested advocacy that is designed to secure funding for organisational activities. Based on this, we argue that SFD actors should also engage in more progressive advocacy and suggest how research, as well as educational programming, can support this shift.
Urban cycling has evolved significantly over the last decade, becoming a key component of many cities’ sustainability strategies, including Prague, which is the focus of this study. This research explores the potential impacts of the proposed mandatory helmet law (MHL) on urban cycling in the city, particularly focusing on bike-sharing programs. While helmets are proven to reduce head injuries, mandatory laws may discourage cycling, counteracting efforts to promote sustainable transport. This study utilizes survey data from 448 urban cyclists to examine the relationship between helmet legislation, cycling rates, and sustainable mobility goals. Results indicate diverse attitudes towards helmet use, with many cyclists perceiving MHL as inconvenient, potentially leading to reduced cycling frequency. Bike-sharing users, less likely to wear helmets, may be particularly affected, risking a decline in spontaneous cycling and undermining Prague’s climate commitments. Potential actions, including educational campaigns, helmet availability at bike-share stations, and infrastructure improvements, could enhance safety while encouraging cycling.
Sport for development (SFD) initiatives have faced numerous criticisms around the focus on individual-level (micro) outcomes and lack of integration at the community (meso) and structural (macro) levels. As a result, there is growing recognition that programmes need to find ways to work with and engage a wide range of community members and stakeholders through more inclusive, participatory approaches. One such approach is known as Living Labs. In the following conceptual article, we present the Sport and Social Cohesion Lab (SSCL) project, which implemented a Living Lab approach in various sport-based programmes from four different European countries. The main components of the Living Lab framework are presented, and practical insights are derived from the project. In addition, the unique and sometimes critical role of sport is reflected upon in relation to the Living Lab context. Through this, this article provides practitioners and academics with potential building blocks to implement Living Labs and/or embed participatory approaches in sport and physical activity contexts and social settings more generally.
This paper examines the intersections of gender and employability through a sport-based women's employability programme supported by a global NGO and implemented in 22 countries. Situated within Sport for Development (SFD) discourse, we explore how such initiatives navigate the dual objectives of empowering participants and addressing broader social and economic challenges. Drawing on 112 qualitative case studies, our analysis highlights participants’ perspectives, offering an examination of their experiences, outcomes, and the values underpinning the programme. We identify four key themes: the programme as a perceived pathway out of marginalisation, its role in encouraging positive behaviours, the importance of individual confidence and motivation, and the tensions inherent in the over-reliance on neoliberal narratives associated with the ‘Girl Effect’. While participants report benefits such as enhanced confidence and skills, our findings reveal significant limitations. These include the programme's individualised focus, which often places responsibility on participants to drive change without structural barriers. Through this analysis, we argue for a more holistic approach to SFD programming that extends beyond individual agency to confront systemic inequities. Furthermore, we critically consider the influence of corporate agendas in shaping programme objectives and outcomes.
Abstract There are increasing connections made between sport and sustainable development, both internationally and within Botswana’s national policies. However, these policy documents are vague and overly broad. There is no focus on where or how sport can be positioned to support sustainable development within Botswana’s unique national context. Using policy coherence as a theoretical framework, the goal of this paper is to analyse the current policy as well as propose national policy objectives and instruments to support sport’s contribution to sustainable development in Botswana. This paper relies on findings generated through semi-structured qualitative interviews, policy documents and academic literature. We propose that sport should be re-oriented to achieve objectives related to economic development, education, and health. Numerous concrete policy instruments are likewise suggested, including investing in small-scale sport infrastructure, public awareness campaigns and better sport educator training. Ultimately, these instruments enhance the coherence of the overall policy and create synergies by addressing multiple overarching objectives simultaneously.
Over the last decade, there has been increased recognition of the size and role of the coaching workforce in Europe. This has led the European Commission to increase its focus on sport coaching and call upon Member States to take steps towards its regulation or professionalisation. However, despite this policy direction, the academic literature, albeit limited to a handful of European countries, has been critical of sport coaching’s capacity and need to move towards a more professionalised status. The purpose of our paper is to begin a discussion about the current and future state of sport coaching across Europe. To do so, we will present the results of an expert survey that provides baseline quantitative data on the current state of coaching across 26 European countries. Results show mixed, but potentially higher than expected, systemic professionalisation of coaching in Europe, though there are also substantial regional differences. We also find significant deficits in national data collection and management; this severely limits the development of a clearer picture and diminishes policymaking. In response to these findings, we propose potential avenues for research and policymaking.
Purpose Athletes are increasingly perceived as important drivers of entrepreneurship and social change. As a result, increasing research and activity has attempted to engage athletes in both entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. Against this backdrop, the authors aim to provide insights on how high-level athletes in Germany understand entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship and their perceptions of (social) entrepreneurship as a potential career pathway. Design/methodology/approach A survey was designed for athletes to assess their social entrepreneurship-related skills and attitudes. This survey is based on Capella Peris et al. (2020) who developed and validated a social entrepreneurship questionnaire for use in the physical education sector. To deepen the authors’ understanding of the initial survey results, a structured focus group was conducted with an additional set of five high-level German athletes. Findings Both the survey results and the focus group indicate that athletes have reservations about starting businesses or social enterprises, and that formal support on the topic is limited. Research limitations/implications This paper suggests numerous possible avenues for future research, both related to athletes and sport social entrepreneurship more generally. The authors also suggest that athlete career programmes need to provide more support for athletes who wish to venture in entrepreneurial activities. Originality/value This study answers numerous calls within sport entrepreneurship literature to further integrate athletes into research in the area.
European sport policies and programmes have increasingly focused on promoting social cohesion. Often presented as a multi-dimensional concept, social cohesion is considered the ‘glue’ that holds societies together and is seen as essential to addressing common challenges. However, the term remains contested, and it is not always clear how programmes conceptualize or support social cohesion. Thus, this paper explores how three European sport programmes conceptualize and foster social cohesion. Findings are generated from a thematic analysis of interviews, group discussions, observations and documents. The themes developed show how organizations adopt an individual-centerd view of social cohesion, focusing mainly on social relations, tolerance and mutual help. In turn, this translates to an individual-focused practice of social cohesion, emphasizing personal skills, behaviors, and social relations, with the transfer of social cohesion to the broader community left mostly in participants’ hands. Due to a number of systemic barriers, programmes struggle to implement more holistic and structural approaches. As such, if we want to facilitate a move towards more structural or interventionist approaches, we as researchers must play an active role in questioning, challenging, and reshaping the systems that underpin sport-based social interventions.
Abstract Over the last 20 years, sport for development (SFD) has become an increasingly used tool to tackle education-related challenges around the world and has even become recognized by major international institutions such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth. In spite of this, evidence on the effectiveness of SFD programs on educational outcomes is limited. Through a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), this paper seeks to begin addressing this gap. Literature is included if it quantitatively examines the relationship between participation in a SFD program and educational outcomes, namely academic performance, school attendance, or attitudes and behaviors related to school. Results are then organized and presented according to these aforementioned areas. The identified literature paints a mixed picture of SFD’s impact on educational outcomes related to academic performance and school attendance, though the data related to improved attitude and behavior is more positive. Overall, the lack of research on this topic and the deficiencies in some of the identified studies do not allow for the conclusion that SFD generates positive education-related outcomes. This paper concludes by proposing potential solutions to address this gap in research.
Discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation remains a critical concern across Europe, including within the sphere of youth sports. Research has shown that youth sports can be a fertile environment for discrimination and bullying and that coaches play a key role in preventing or mitigating discriminatory situations. Given the crucial role of coaches, it is therefore important to build our understanding of the experiences, perspectives, and needs of those coaches concerning discrimination in sports. Against this background, this paper presents the results of an applied survey of 174 European youth sport coaches conducted as part of the INCLUDE project. In particular, this survey focuses on the experiences of coaches when witnessing and reporting discrimination, as well as their perspectives on what needs to be done in the policy and educational areas to combat issues of discrimination. Results show that 25% of coaches witness discrimination on a monthly basis and that fans or spectators are perceived as the most common perpetrators. To combat the issues, coaches report a need for greater policy support, funding, training, and awareness raising. To conclude, we discuss the practical, policy, and research implications of these findings.
Botswana is regarded as a model African country and has a diverse, complex sport system. Despite this, literature related to sport policy in the country is limited and existing texts are dated, limiting their relevance to sport officials and policymakers. Therefore, this paper offers an updated review of Botswana’s sport policy landscape. The paper begins with a history of government involvement in sport, followed by an overview of the current administrative structure of sport in Botswana. Thereafter, the primary funding channels for sport organisations will be discussed, and a review of the country’s main sport policy documents will be presented. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of challenges, trends and recommendations related to Botswana sport, especially as it relates to the development of an up-to-date and cohesive national sport policy.
Violence and maltreatment in sport threaten athlete rights and undermine sport’s potential contribution to positive social development. This problem remains prevalent in organised sport and limits sport’s potential social contribution. In response, numerous European and international actors have pursued activities to address this serious issue. In particular, for more than two decades, the Council of Europe (CoE) has played an active role in promoting and supporting safeguarding policy in sport. However, though extensive time and resources have been invested in these actions, their extent and impact remain unclear. Therefore, using the Council of Europe’s Start to Talk initiative as a case, we aim to analyse the inputs, activities, and policy outcomes of their work around safeguarding policy in sport. In turn, this will allow us to identify successes, challenges and future directions for European policy activities. We rely on document analysis and more than 20 semi-structured qualitative interviews with national and international experts to generate our results. Based on this, we find that the CoE has helped politically legitimise action on this topic and has helped generate engagement with policymakers and the public. However, a broader lack of policy monitoring, especially at the systems and target population levels, restricts further progress and development.
Despite growing activity connecting sport to social cohesion, in sport-related literature, social cohesion is poorly defined and primarily organized along narrow dimensions of social relations or social capital. Yet social cohesion is a complex, multidimensional concept that encompasses belonging, shared values, trust, and civic participation. Much literature does not explore these other components in-depth, and we know little about how sport programs understand and address these components of social cohesion. Against this background, using qualitative data from a mapping survey completed by 84 European sport organizations, this study aims to create a typology of the main sport for social cohesion approaches in Europe. In the end, four main types are identified: evangelical approaches that rely solely on the power of sport; value approaches that mix sport participation with the promotion of values; integration approaches that combine sport and civic participation to foster social capital and cohesion; and belonging approaches that encourage trust, dialogue, and a greater sense belonging. To conclude, these types are critically discussed and situated against existing literature, focusing on how a fifth, more structural type might take shape.
Research Question With more transition or developing economies hosting major sports events (MSE), it is increasingly relevant to research how they can impact sport organisations’ capacity in such environments. Using the Gaborone 2014 African Youth Games (AYG) as its research setting, the goal of this paper is to investigate how hosting a MSE can impact the perceived organisational capacity of sporting organisations within the context of a developing or transition economy.Research Method Data were gathered through 13 semi-structured interviews. Results are deductively coded and presented according to Hall et al.’s (2003) conceptualisation of organisational capacity.Results and Findings Results show that individuals perceived positive capacity outcomes related to skill development, international relationships and, in some instances, material resources. Conversely, adverse outcomes included lack of opportunities to apply new skills, strained relationships, and unmet financial expectations. Moreover, the findings reveal that the AYG generated similar capacity outcomes as other MSEs, but that the relative impact of those outcomes may differ.Implications The findings re-emphasise the need for hosts to engage in strategic management to maximise positive capacity outcomes. Researchers are encouraged to investigate the impact of MSEs on sport organisations using multiple methods and settings.
European sport policies and programmes have increasingly focused on promoting social cohesion. Often presented as a multi-dimensional concept, social cohesion is considered the ‘glue’ that holds societies together and is seen as essential to addressing common challenges. However, the term remains convoluted, and it is not always clear how programmes conceptualise or support social cohesion. Thus, this paper explores how three European sport programmes conceptualise and foster social cohesion. Findings are generated from a thematic analysis of interviews, group discussions, observations and documents. The themes developed show how organisations adopt an individual-centred view of social cohesion, focusing mainly on social relations, tolerance and mutual help. In turn, this translates to an individual-focused practice of social cohesion, emphasising personal skills, behaviours, and social relations, with the transfer of social cohesion to the broader community left mostly in the hands of participants. Due to a number of systemic barriers, programmes struggle to implement more holistic and structural approaches. As such, if we want to facilitate a move towards more structural or interventionist approaches, we as researchers must play an active role in questioning, challenging, and reshaping the systems that underpin sport-based social interventions.
In May 2014, Botswana hosted its first-ever Major Sport Event (MSE), the 2nd African Youth Games (AYG). These Games brought 51 countries to Botswana and featured 2000 athletes competing in 21 sports. In the broader international sporting context, these Games are part of a growing number of MSEs being hosted in transition and developing economies. Also notable in the Botswana case is the high level of involvement of the National Sport Federations (NSFs) in the preparations for the event. Following Hall et al.’s (2003) conceptualization of capacity, the goal of this thesis is to investigate how hosting a multi-sport MSE can influence the overall capacity of sporting organizations, namely these NSFs, within a developing economy. The topic will be explored using the results from and analysis of semi-structured, qualitative interviews with individuals from the Botswana sport system. The results show that individuals perceive positive gains related to skill and knowledge development, international relationships and, in some instances, material resources. Conversely, negative outcomes include the lack of opportunities to apply or continue to develop these new skills, strained relationships within the Botswana sport system, and unmet financial expectations. The results further show that these different capacity outcomes do not exist independently, but are rather strongly interrelated. Moreover, the findings reveal that the AYG, though taking place in a developing economy, share many similar capacity outcomes with other MSEs. However, these results may also indicate that NSFs in developing or transition economies face greater relative positive or negative effects.
Abstract The use of sport and physical activity as a method of developing entrepreneurship is an area that has received considerable attention in recent years. This is evidenced, in part, by the proliferation of sport-based education manuals on entrepreneurship from development agencies, NGOs and business actors alike. Moreover, several organisations operate in the sport for development ecosystem that focuses on sport-based entrepreneurship and developing social businesses in and through sport, including Sport dans la Ville and the Yunus Sports Hub. These programmes and existing literature show different approaches to using sport and physical activity to promote entrepreneurship. These approaches raise specific questions that should be considered when implementing sport for entrepreneurship programmes. Combining findings from academic and practitioner literature as well as considerable experience in the field, this chapter will present three approaches to using sport to develop entrepreneurship and highlight critical questions and concerns related to each approach. These approaches include (1) using sport as a hook to attract youth to entrepreneurial education, (2) using sport activities to develop competences related to entrepreneurship and (3) providing specialised education and support to sport entrepreneurs. To conclude, we propose a number of recommendations on how to maximise the potential of using sport for entrepreneurship education and development.
AbstractIn the last decade, the field of sport for development (SFD) has continued its impressive growth, including as it relates to academic output. This output, however, has not come without criticism. In particular, concerns have been raised about the quality of evidence presented, the dominance of the Global North within SFD research, and the apparent lack of transdisciplinary cooperation in the field. In the following, we take a specific interest in the last two points and use a bibliometric analysis of SFD literature to identify authorship, disciplinary and thematic patterns within this work. Overall, our results show that SFD is still a highly Northern-led field and this is reinforced by several small, highly productive, self-referential authorship consortia. In light of this, we critically assess these trends and reiterate a number of recommendations to enhance disciplinary and international collaboration in SFD.Keywords: Bibliometricssport for developmentacademiaresearch Correction StatementThis article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank the attendees at the 2022 World Congress of Sociology of Sport for their feedback on a preliminary version of the data and analysis presented in this paper.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 We do not want to engage in a process of 'naming and shaming' and, therefore, have opted against providing the references for these articles.
Purpose/Rationale This study aims to test to what extent athletes of different demographics, sports types, and sports skills differ in their entrepreneurial competencies.
Joining the Olympic Movement provides smaller countries with material and symbolic benefits.The Olympic Games represent a unique symbolic stage for national recognition and identity construction.Resource-poor countries can also access sport development funding programmes.However, participation in the international sport system comes at the price of a 'coercive policy transfer'.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires countries to subscribe to a western sport system that includes 'sports autonomy' as a key governance principle, which restricts the discretion of national governments.Previous scholarship suggests that coercive policy transfers can create institutional and policy misfits, which inspire translation and customisation on behalf of the receiving countries.The current paper investigates the interactions between public authorities and the National Olympic Committee of Botswana, which has been imposed by the IOC as an autonomous organisation.The study of three policy processes suggests that the interactions between the National Olympic Committee and governmental authorities are shaped by a persistent institutional misfit and organisational rivalries, which are only manageable because all actors in Botswana sport policy-making share a common interest in increasing national sporting success.At the same time, it is hard to assess to what extent the coercive policy transfer has improved policy development and implementation in Botswana.
Critical examinations of the sport for development (SfD) field have highlighted concerns related to an emphasis on individual-level solutions and outcomes and the reinforcement of current neoliberal power structures. As such, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how SfD organisations use their annual reports to frame social problems, define the causes of those problems, the role of sport in crafting solutions to development problems, and make moral judgements related to their work in the SfD sector. Using framing theory as a framework, a qualitative content analysis of the annual reports from 2019 to 2021 of five prominent SfD organisations was conducted. The researchers used an open coding methodology to develop a codebook based on the four functions of framing: defining problems, identifying causes, determining solutions, and making moral judgements. The analysis revealed a lack of consistent salience of social problems except for the COVID-19 pandemic. The causes for these problems were largely ignored within the annual report documents; instead, organisations focused on the solutions they were working to implement. Solutions were framed primarily through the expansion or continuance of their active programming, bolstering the claim that their active SfD efforts are working.
The effects of team diversity on work performance have been extensively studied both in general and sport-specific context, often yielding mixed results. However, little research exists on the impact of that diversity in the context of ice hockey. Though the sport is not as diverse as others, such as football, it has greatly increased its global footprint over the last 20 years. This paper looks at the impact of national diversity on overall team performance. Using data from NHL teams between 2007 and 2011, national diversity on each squad is calculated in three ways: Richness, the Gini-Simpson Index and Shannon’s Entropy. Controlling for team payroll and strength of schedule, we run correlations, linear regressions, logistic regressions and ordinal regressions to assess the effect of diversity on both regular season and playoff performance. Ultimately, we find that national diversity has no significant impact on team performance. We conclude by discussing potential explanations for this finding and propose further avenues of research.
Within Botswana, there has long been a narrative that the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) and the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) have been at odds. For more than two decades, both organisations have been engaged in a rivalry that has hindered sport in the country. This commentary highlights the challenges posed by this conflict and makes a case for a merger. Policy remains poorly coordinated, and many programmes are hindered due to the relationship between the BNOC and BNSC. In short, the continued separation of both organisations has ultimately led to overlap, competition, and obstruction. Though there are inherent financial and human risks associated with any merger, I argue that the current downsides outweigh the risks and that there is a strong case for the merger of Botswana’s two main sporting bodies.
Coaching and coach education have been part of government policies in Turkey since the foundation of the Republic in 1923. Nevertheless, the current state of coaching and coach education in Turkey has been criticized due to its disjointed nature. Added to that, there has been a lack of comprehensive mapping of the different elements of coaching and coach education, which in turn inhibits evaluation and growth. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a practical historical overview of coaching and coach education in Turkey to identify strengths, weaknesses, and future directions for the overall sport coaching system. Findings for this paper are generated via an analysis of policy and academic texts, as well as interviews with two academics working directly in coach education. In the end, future recommendations established from a review of the coaching and coach education literature addressing the weaknesses in the Turkish coaching system are suggested.
Over the last decade, there has been rising criticism that sport for development (SFD) programs are laden with neoliberal ideologies and fail to critically address their local context, particularly regarding colonial legacies. Sport scholars posit that social entrepreneurship (SE) in sport (SES) can potentially combat the neoliberal discourse inherent in SFD curricula, funding models, and program delivery. What remains neglected in the literature is the scrutiny of the neoliberal ideologies in SE itself. The first part of this chapter is a theoretical review of scholarly work to identify the neoliberal precepts of entrepreneurship and SE, including SES. The second part of this chapter explores the social, regulatory, and economic environment of SES in Botswana. Results from semi-structured interviews, policy documents, and academic literature show that the government and sport organisations provide limited support for SES. Most of the SES programs offered are franchised or replicated from Western programs with little customisation for Botswana's context. Our findings allow us to explore the degree to which neoliberal ideologies are perpetuated or rejected in SES practices in Botswana. This research also reveals various forms of non-traditional SES practices for inclusion in definitions and epistemological knowledge on SES. It also highlights how issues with recognition as a social enterprise render enterprises ineligible for institutional and financial support. Lastly, self-identification as a social enterprise emerges as a significant component in awarding agency to locals and allowing them to assert their knowledge and practices as valid social enterprising. This knowledge can be used to develop and customise SES programs and curricula for the Global South.
Rationale There has been growing recognition of the potential for sport to contribute to development, and employability has emerged as one of the core thematic areas of sport for development (SFD). However, we have a limited overview of SFD programmes and their contributions to employability. As such, the following review seeks to summarise current literature on the topic and answer three related questions: (1) who delivers programmes and what groups are targeted?; (2) what sport and non-sport activities are used?; and (3) what competencies are developed or targeted through these programmes?
Over the last decade, the number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) has sharply increased across the globe, and sport has become one increasingly prominent tool used in displacement settings to support psychosocial well-being amongst these vulnerable populations. Despite the growing use of sport in displacement contexts, evidence concerning the outcomes of sport-based interventions remains limited, especially as it concerns intervention delivered directly within the camp context. To help address this gap, we present the results of a quasi-experimental study of a sport-based intervention taking place in three IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This paper focuses on the outcomes of the intervention on the psychosocial well-being and socio-emotional competencies of participating children and youth. Results show that trial group participants had significantly higher levels of psychosocial wellbeing and socio-emotional competencies following the programs, though the latter with only a small effect size. Furthermore, the increase in psychosocial wellbeing is stronger for participants in mixed gender teams and those who live within camp settings. Overall, though there are limitations to this intervention, these results likely highlight the importance of long-term interventions featuring well-trained coaches who are sensitive to local context and realities.
Sport coaching policies in Europe lack a guiding framework, and there is limited knowledge about good practices within those policies. This lack of guidance stands in stark contrast to the growing role and importance, from both a practical and a policy perspective, that coaches play in Europe. It is against this background that the Policy, Evidence, and Knowledge in Coaching (PEAK) project was initiated to strengthen the policy foundations of sports coaching in Europe. To do so, the Policy, Evidence, and Knowledge in Coaching project aimed to develop coaching policy recommendations for national authorities and sport federations on the European continent. In the following, we present the main policy recommendations for national authorities as well as the extensive process that led to the formulation of those recommendations. Based on this work, nine recommendations featuring a total of 61 indicators were developed. Overall, we contend that the policy foundation for an effective coaching system includes clarity on who the policies are for, how the results of the policy will be measured, the education, regulation, and support of the workforce, and addressing the inclusion of underrepresented groups.
Despite growing activity connecting sport to social cohesion, in sport-related literature, social cohesion is poorly defined and primarily organised along narrow dimensions of social relations or social capital. Yet social cohesion is a complex, multidimensional concept that encompasses ideas of belonging, shared values, trust, and civic participation. Much literature does not explore these other components in-depth, and we know little about how sport programmes understand and address these components of social cohesion. Against this background, using qualitative data from a mapping survey completed by 84 European sport organisations, this study aims to create a typology of the main sport for social cohesion approaches in Europe. In the end, four main types are identified: evangelical approaches that rely solely on the power of sport; value approaches that mix sport participation with the promotion of values; integration approaches that combine sport and civic participation to foster social capital and cohesion; and belonging approaches that encourage trust, dialogue and a greater sense belonging. To conclude, these types are critically discussed and situated against existing literature, and the outline of a fifth, more structural type is presented.
Sport has been proved as a fruitful field for building strong personal relations, sharing common goals, and collaboration. Thus, encouraging sports environments with appropriate coaching bases could effectively drive social cohesion, starting from the sports stakeholders and expanding to society more broadly. However, creating such a productive and open sports environment is often challenging. Chapter 10 reflects on the authors’ understanding of social cohesion and describes their own experience of how sport might act as an effective tool for social cohesion. The chapter highlights how diverse mixed group activities, reflective processes, minimising competitive activities, and engagement of local communities could be useful strategies for building social cohesion through sport.
Abstract In Botswana, sport is positioned as a potential driver of economic and social development. In particular, there are numerous discussions about increasing the socio-economic impact of sport and the need to professionalise Botswana sport. Knowledge Management (KM) can play a critical role in achieving this greater professionalisation and impact. Despite this importance, there have only been a small number of studies on KM in sports, and none of this literature explores the topic in sub-Saharan Africa. Against this background, the goals of our paper are two-fold. Firstly, we wish to map out the current knowledge management landscape in the Botswana sport sector. Secondly, we aim to propose concrete, evidence-based avenues to improve KM within the sector. This paper relies on findings generated through semi-structured qualitative interviews with individuals connected to Botswana sport. To allow for triangulation, these interviews are further supported by other, previous qualitative research as well as relevant academic and policy literature. The Knowledge Management framework from Sunassee and Sewry (2002) is used to analyse and structure the results. Overall, we see that KM in Botswana sport is somewhat present at the individual, organisational level, but numerous obstacles and inefficiencies exist in creating and sharing knowledge at the sectoral level. To support the growth of KM in the sector, numerous concrete recommendations are presented. In particular, we highlight a need to communicate the value of KM better and obtain the necessary buy-in.
Migration within and from outside the European Union has significantly increased over the last 20 years. In turn, the resulting increase in cultural diversity has presented both challenges and opportunities. To maximise the opportunities, the successful, positive social integration of new groups is paramount. Sport has become more and more recognised as a tool to promote the social integration of diverse groups. As a result, sport educators are tasked with supporting social cohesion and intercultural education, but they often lack the skills or tools to do so and there is a limited picture of the opportunities or challenges faced in intercultural sport education. It is against this background that the “Intercultural Education through Physical Activity, Coaching and Training” (EDU:PACT) project was launched. It aimed to prepare physical education teachers and coaches for inclusive intercultural education in and through sport. Thus, in this chapter, the challenges and opportunities inherent to intercultural sport education will be mapped out, and the EDU:PACT Module will be presented as a potential approach to help address these challenges and capitalise on existing opportunities. Finally, this chapter will combine the various findings and outcomes to propose future avenues for the development of intercultural sport education. © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Karen Petry and Johan de Jong; individual chapters, the contributors.
Violence and maltreatment in sport threaten athlete rights and undermine sport's potential contribution to positive social development. This problem remains prevalent in organised sport and limits sport's potential social contribution. In response, numerous European and international actors have pursued activities to address this serious issue. In particular, for more than two decades, the Council of Europe (CoE) has played an active role in promoting and supporting safeguarding policy in sport. However, though extensive time and resources have been invested in these actions, their extent and impact remain unclear. Therefore, using the Council of Europe's Start to Talk initiative as a case, we aim to analyse the inputs, activities, and policy outcomes of their work around safeguarding policy in sport. In turn, this will allow us to identify successes, challenges and future directions for European policy activities. We rely on document analysis and more than 20 semi-structured qualitative interviews with national and international experts to generate our results. Based on this, we find that the CoE has helped politically legitimise action on this topic and has helped generate engagement with policymakers and the public. However, a broader lack of policy monitoring, especially at the systems and target population levels, restricts further progress and development.
Botswana is viewed as one of Africa’s brightest success stories. Its economy has grown almost unabated since the 1990s and, in spite of the terrible toll of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the country has managed to significantly increase its overall Human Development Index score, to the point where Botswana is now rated as a country with high human development. The state is largely seen as the main driver this socio-economic progress and is often praised for its sound management of resources, strong institutions, fiscal discipline, and coordinated response to HIV/AIDS. However, little analysis has been done looking at the role of civil society, and non-governmental organisations in particular, in the country’s development. This dissertation seeks to address that gap and find out what influence Botswana’s local NGO sector has had on the country’s educational, health, and economic development over the last 20 years. Measuring the influence of NGOs is notoriously difficult and, as such, this dissertation will use a case study approach combining a variety of methodologies – namely a Rapid Evidence Analysis (REA), expert surveys, and in-depth qualitative interviews – to generate findings and triangulate results. Results are presented individually for each of the three selected methodologies and are then critically discussed. Recommendations are also provided for future research in relation to the Botswana NGO sector. Though the NGO sector appears to have played an important role in Botswana’s health-related development over the last 20 years, especially in terms of combatting HIV/AIDS, the sector has had a much more mitigated impact in the areas of educational and economic development. Lack of funding, lack of support and strained relationships with government are important constraints for the sector, and are likely to be important limiting factors. There is also much that is not known about the sector in Botswana. Different methodological approaches and the inclusion of different perspectives would greatly serve to enrich our knowledge of the Botswana NGO sector.
The sport for development (SFD) field has grown significantly over the last two decades, and the sector today engages development agencies, policymakers, practitioners and researchers from around the world. In parallel, there has been a significant professionalisation of the field, with numerous institutions offering training on themes and topics of relevance to the field. E-learning tools, in particular, have increasingly been developed to provide education, training, and capacity-building opportunities around sport and sustainable development. Despite this growth, e-learning in sport and sustainable development has only been partially explored. Little is known about the topics, technology and pedagogical approaches used by these courses, nor what that means for how knowledge is transferred to the field. Against this backdrop, the following paper maps out existing online courses that connect sport and sustainable development goals (SDGs), and mainly focuses on the topics and pedagogical approaches embedded in these courses. To facilitate this mapping, a structured online search and analysis of two practitioner-oriented databases was conducted. In the end, our results show that the courses engage with many of the SDGs already common in SFD and that course design is dominated by fully online self-paced courses that use written, visual, and interactive content and evaluations. To conclude, we propose ways for these tools to provide more engaging and inclusive e-learning experiences.
Rationale and Research Questions: There has been growing recognition from of the potential for sport to contribute to development, and employability has emerged as one of the core thematic areas of sport for development (SFD). However, we have a limited overview of SFD programmes and their contributions as it relates to (youth) employability. As such, the following review seeks to summarise current literature on the topic and answer three related questions: (1) how are sport-for-employability programmes structured?; (2) what sport and non-sport activities are used?; and (3) what competencies are developed or targeted through these programmes?Research Methods: A Scoping Review following Arksey and O’Malley (2005) is conducted to locate and synthesize literature on sport-for-employability programmes. Results: Programmes mainly rely on a mix of sport activities and workshops to develop a sub-set of social and personal competencies and support the acquisition of general employment skills as well as some formal qualifications across a range of sport or service-related professions. Implications: The focus on a limited set of competencies and service professions can limit the quality and stability of employment outcomes and may not align with the broader realities of the employment market. As such, we conclude by proposing future research avenues to address these concerns.
The development of theories in sport for development has increased over the last decade, with numerous general theories or frameworks being put forth by scholars. Nonetheless, theories exploring connections to specific outcomes are lacking, and this gap is especially striking regarding the vaunted connections between sport and social cohesion. Sport has been prominently positioned as a vehicle to promote social cohesion, yet the connections between sport and social cohesion have not been explored in a robust fashion. Literature and programmes have been criticised for failing to define social cohesion, and there remains a lack of knowledge concerning practices, activities, and mechanisms within programmes. As such, we neither have a clear picture of the goals being addressed nor the mechanisms supporting those goals. The following paper seeks to address these gaps by presenting a conceptual framework connecting common practices within programmes with existing theories and specific social cohesion outcomes. To do so, findings from extensive previous work in Europe are contextualised against existing theories. In turn, this generates a better understanding of the mechanisms in sport for social cohesion, provides guidance to implementers, and identifies areas for future development.
Over the last 30 years there has been a growth of actors involved in Sport for Development (SFD). Though some of these actors aligned with prevailing power structures, others challenged existing power structures. In that sense, the SFD movement became disparate and multi-faceted and could be seen as an emerging area that could challenge dominant structures. With time, the SFD sector has coalesced around a variety of formal structures, and these more ‘rebellious’ tendencies have been dampened. Though some have argued that these structures show adaptation or professionalisation, using Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s work as a foundation, I will argue that these changes emerged as part of a purposeful process of elite capture. In particular, elite capture has occurred in three interconnected ways. First, elite actors established standards, policies and guidelines that aligned with their interests. Second, elites imposed those standards by funding and controlling projects in the field. Finally, elites legitimised the standards they set by taking over avenues for knowledge production within SFD. Taken together, elite capture limits the ability of SFD actors to challenge the systemic factors that impede their participants and communities. To escape this, as Táíwò argues, means more than just offering representation to ‘marginalised’ groups. New structures outside of the constraints of existing ones are needed.
The 16th European Network of Sport Education (ENSE) Forum was held in Rome, Italy at the University of Rome 'Foro Italico' on 21 and 22 September 2023. The Forum was organised under the theme Sport Education for Sustainable Development: The Euro-Med Perspective and featured presentations and input from over 40 researchers, officials and policymakers. In this report, we highlight the key themes addressed at the Forum and highlight some of the notable contributions at the event.
Introduction and Purpose Sport for development (SFD) has emerged as an increasingly prominent field in Europe and beyond. Defined as the intentional use of sport to support social development, the SFD movement focuses on a broad range of goals such as social cohesion, peacebuilding, gender equality and more. To support these goals, organisations within SFD usually focus on bringing diverse individuals together and exploiting sport’s interactive nature to foster experiential learning (Moustakas, 2024). This approach has however often been criticized as it tends to focus too strongly on the individual level, and therefore fails to account for or challenge socio-political realities that influence participant outcomes. In turn this means that SFD programmes risk generating limited, unsustainable outcomes as they seek to achieve broad gauge outcomes through limited focus programmes (Coalter, 2010). To address this, a growing number of scholars have suggested that SFD organisations must become involved in policy advocacy (Sanders, 2016). Understood as support of a particular policy or class of policies, policy advocacy allows SFD organisations to advocate for issues of relevance to participants and communities. Through this, programmes can influence the broader socio-political environment, or at least foster alignment between programme goals and this environment, which in turn can help support the sustainable, long-term impact of their programmes. Against this background, this study seeks to map out current practice, challenges and needs related to policy advocacy in the SFD sector. Method A survey was developed the consortium associated with the Erasmus+ project Policy Advocacy for Sport and Society (PASS). The goal of this survey was to understand how SFD organisations engage in policy advocacy, how they view relationships with policymakers, and what kind of resources they would like to support future policy advocacy activities. The survey was collaboratively designed by the consortium, and questions mapping policy advocacy activities were based on the conceptual framework from Gen and Wright (2013). The survey was distributed via a purposive sampling approach, whereby SFD organisations associated with professional networks in the field were targeted via e-mail and social media. Afterwards, given the primarily mapping function of the survey, results were descriptively analysed and graphically portrayed. Results Preliminary analysis shows that most SFD organisations engage with policymakers, especially at the municipal level (ca. 65%) or within national sport organisations (ca. 60%). Awareness raising activities or campaigns are the most common advocacy activities (ca. 70%), along with networking with policymakers (ca. 40%). However, relationships remain strained, with around 10-35% of organisations reporting difficult relationships with different policy stakeholders. Lack of resources (ca. 70%) and expertise (ca. 55%) are seen as the main obstacles to further advocacy, and organisations report that they would benefit from examples, templates, strategies, and learning offers. Discussion and Conclusion These results show reasonably widespread policy advocacy activities in the field, but activities remain limited to various forms of awareness raising or campaigning. Likewise, relationships with decision-makers often remain strained. This suggests that further work could unearth the complexities of these relationships, while applied projects could support by developing tools and learning materials. References Coalter, F. (2010). The politics of sport-for-development: Limited focus programmes and broad gauge problems? International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 45(3), 295–314. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690210366791 Gen, S., & Wright, A. C. (2013). Policy advocacy organizations: A framework linking theory and practice. Journal of Policy Practice, 12(3), 163–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/15588742.2013.795477 Moustakas, L. (2024). Sport for social cohesion: A conceptual framework linking common practices and theory. Sport in Society, 27(10), 1549–1567. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2024.2304231 Sanders, B. (2016). An own goal in sport for development: Time to change the playing field. Journal of Sport for Development, 4(6), 1-5.
Sport for development, and sport for social cohesion specifically, often face significant challenges related to research and evaluation. Political pressures, precarious funding, and a conflation of micro- and macro-level outcomes are common challenges in the field and manifest themselves especially strongly concerning social cohesion. Recognising these challenges, Chapter 15 aims to discuss some of the common challenges and issues concerning research on sport for social cohesion and to provide recommendations for researchers and evaluators working across methods and paradigms. In particular, three main issues and recommendations are discussed related to the definition, conceptualisation, and scope of research and evaluation around sport for social cohesion. To address these issues, a full range of definitions, perspectives, and voices must be integrated into future research connecting sport and social cohesion.
Sport for social cohesion activities have grown significantly over the last decade and are seen as an integral part of community sport and sport for development activities. Following this growth, scholars have criticised the lack of clear definition or operationalisation of social cohesion as well as the uneven information about how programmes actually support social cohesion. Not only definitions, but information about activities and implementation are often lacking. To address this gap, Chapter 1 seeks to provide a global overview of some of the common understandings and activities embedded within sport for social cohesion programmes. To do so, Chapter 1 relies on data collected via a survey of sport for social cohesion programmes done in the context of the Sport and Social Cohesion Lab project. From a total of 157 responses, Chapter 1 summarises the definitions, activities, and implementations within responding programmes, as well as identifies some key trends or patterns within this data.
Despite the existing boom in sport and social cohesion activities, there remain some important gaps to be addressed, such as current definitions and understandings of social cohesion that rarely take into account the needs, expectations, or understandings of the participants on the ground. To address this gap, we edited the book entitled “Sport for Social Cohesion: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives”, which is based on the findings of a European Union funded project called “Sport for Social Cohesion Lab (SSCL)”. The introduction of the book seeks to provide an overview of the three parts of the book and the 15 chapters from 25 (co-)authors across the disciplines and countries.
The conclusion of the book seeks to provide the results from this collective work and discusses the main aspects for the future development of sport for social cohesion approaches. These directions and implications are presented for three broad areas: the delivery of activities on the pitch, the role of programmes away from the pitch, as well as the role of research and researchers. Finally, it is stated, that the book encourages those in the field to engage in their work from a more critical, theoretically informed, systemic, and community-centred perspective.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1546222.].
This study explores the evolving discourse within the Sport for Development (SFD) field through an analysis of over 10,000 English-language articles published on the sportanddev platform between 2003 and 2024. Positioned as a central hub for SFD communication, this research examines how the agenda is constructed within the sportanddev platform, with a particular focus on the organizations, topics, goals, and target groups of the articles. The findings reveal a significant decline in article volume post-2016, coinciding with the closure of the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace. Despite the platform’s open nature, content is disproportionately produced by a small number of well-resourced international organizations, suggesting persistent power imbalances. Football dominates as the most featured sport worldwide, but there are also strong regional preferences. Thematic focuses such as youth development, gender, and disability fluctuate over time, often aligning with global events like the Paralympics or the COVID-19 pandemic. This suggests that external events and well-resourced organisations still largely drive the agenda in SFD. Overall, this study highlights how digital platforms such as sportanddev both reflect and reinforce existing hierarchies within SFD, while also offering potential for more inclusive and critical engagement.
This study investigates why companies sponsor individual athletes in sports with low media coverage and how such athletes secure sponsorship agreements. While sport sponsorship research has predominantly focused on mainstream sports and event-based contexts, limited attention has been given to individual athletes in niche sports. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with Norwegian sponsors and elite athletes in long-distance running, trail running, and orienteering. The data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis, informed by the Sponsorship Motive Matrix and the Model of Athlete Brand Image. The findings indicate that sponsorship decisions are primarily driven by market-related motives, complemented by bond and society motives, with cost-effectiveness, authenticity, and value alignment playing important roles. Sponsors prioritize athlete performance, personality, and social media presence, while athletes emphasize financial support and performance optimization. Sponsorship activation is generally limited, and agreements are predominantly in-kind or hybrid. The study concludes that sponsorships in low-media-coverage sports are relational and selective, relying heavily on athlete-driven outreach and social media visibility. These findings extend existing sponsorship frameworks to an underexplored context and offer practical insights for sponsors and athletes in niche sports.
