scholarly journals Ordinary, Adequate, and Crazy: Reconsidering the “Pyramid” Metaphor for Mass-participation Sports

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-249
Author(s):  
Andrey Adelfinsky
Keyword(s):  
Social Norm ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Theoretical Interpretation ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Civilizing Process ◽  
Competitive Model ◽  
Mass Participation

The article critically examines the “pyramid” metaphor for mass-participation sports. It focuses on the heterogeneity of intra-group structure and motives among adult amateurs participating in open races in running, triathlon, etc. The study is based on comparative participant observation at Russian and European mass-sports events and semi-formalized interviews. We describe the lifestyle and motives of non-elite athletes. Mostly they participate “for fit, for fun, for challenge, for socialization”, defined as key motives. Participation in races is essential for healthy lifestyle. However, the motive “for health” is peripheral. We noted a latent motive of “to win, to be ahead of others”. It reflects the very nature of sports, but creates a “loser's problem” subverting participation. We show how skill-level and a balance between key and latent motives constitute three strata among non-elite athletes. We define these strata as “Ordinary”, “Adequate” and “Crazy” and demonstrate how the motivation difference produces hidden controversies among them. Our theoretical interpretation is based on Norbert Elias’s concept of civilizing process and Konrad Lorenz’s comparative anthropology. We outline two normative sports models. For the Expressive model, the key motives “fit, fun, challenge, socialization” are socially approved, but for the Traditional-competitive or Top-achievements model, only the latent motive of “to win” looks legitimate. We believe that mass-participation sports emerged due to modern recognition of the Expressive model as a new social norm, while the Competitive model hinders its development. Rejecting the “pyramid” metaphor in sports, we propose an “iceberg” metaphor wherein these models coexist through different social roles.

scholarly journals Medical encounters (including injury and illness) at mass community-based endurance sports events: an international consensus statement on definitions and methods of data recording and reporting

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (17) ◽  
pp. 1048-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Schwellnus ◽  
Courtney Kipps ◽  
William O Roberts ◽  
Jonathan A Drezner ◽  
Pierre D’Hemecourt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Death ◽  
Consensus Statement ◽  
Heat Stroke ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Endurance Sports ◽  
International Consensus ◽  
Diagnostic Categories ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
International Consensus Statement ◽  
Mass Participation

Mass participation endurance sports events are popular but a large number of participants are older and may be at risk of medical complications during events. Medical encounters (defined fully in the statement) include those traditionally considered ‘musculoskeletal’ (eg, strains) and those due to ‘illness’ (eg, cardiac, respiratory, endocrine). The rate of sudden death during mass endurance events (running, cycling and triathlon) is between 0.4 and 3.3 per 100 000 entrants. The rate of other serious medical encounters (eg, exertional heat stroke, hyponatraemia) is rarely reported; in runners it can be up to 100 times higher than that of sudden death, that is, between 16 and 155 per 100 000 race entrants. This consensus statement has two goals. It (1) defines terms for injury and illness-related medical encounters, severity and timing of medical encounters, and diagnostic categories of medical encounters, and (2) describes the methods for recording data at mass participation endurance sports events and reporting results to authorities and for publication. This unifying consensus statement will allow data from various events to be compared and aggregated. This will inform athlete/patient management, and thus make endurance events safer.

scholarly journals Community-Driven Sports Events as a Vehicle for Cultural Sustainability within the Context of Forced Migration: Lessons from the Amsterdam Futsal Tournament

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramón Spaaij ◽  
Hebe Schaillée
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Community Sustainability ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cultural Sustainability ◽  
Somali Diaspora ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Impact

Participation in sport can act as a means or context for enhancing the social inclusion of migrants and refugees. Research has examined if and how mainstream sport organizations’ practices of engaging newly arrived migrants and refugees are effective in supporting participation in sustainable and culturally appropriate ways. Little is known, however, about the impact of community-driven sports events on sustainable participation by migrants and refugees. This paper examines this question with an analytical focus on community sustainability and the role of culture in sport event sustainability practices. The authors draw on ethnographic fieldwork with the Amsterdam Futsal Tournament (AFT), a sports event organized by Somali diaspora community members, to consider how event organizers and participants seek to promote cultural sustainability in a diaspora sport context. The fieldwork comprised 49 semi-structured interviews, participant observation before, during and after the event, and digital ethnography of event-related social media. The findings show the importance of cultural sustainability as a driver of community-driven sport sustainability practices, but also indicate how this driver is closely linked to addressing organizational and individual sustainability. The analysis demonstrates how the AFT can serve as a catalyst for the expansion of sport and community events among Somali diaspora communities.

scholarly journals Some like it hot? Elite female athlete perspectives on competing in extreme climatic conditions at world championship sports events

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauline Zeiler ◽  
Richard Shipway
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Elite Athlete ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
World Championship ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
And Performance

PurposeThis paper explores perspectives of elite female athletes competing at world championship sports events, hosted in extreme climatic conditions. From the athlete perspective, it examines the implications of decisions by global sports federations when selecting host cities and the subsequent impacts upon elite athletes competing in unfavourable climates.Design/methodology/approachUsing an exploratory case study approach at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, this paper explores insider perspectives of four elite female participants competing in the Marathon. Adopting the “elite interviewing” technique, and based on event participant experiences, the paper prioritises the perspective and “voice” of the athlete.FindingsFour key themes emerged from the data. These were (1) the importance of training and preparation; (2) unique challenges of competition day; (3) elite athlete retrospection; and (4) prioritising the perspectives of elite athletes at international sports events. The findings highlight the challenges of managing athlete preparation and performance at world championship events hosted in extreme climatic conditions.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size for this study whilst relatively small is unique. This reflects challenges accessing elite athletes, their reluctance to be interviewed, and the small pool of elite athlete talent available. Given these practical barriers, this represents a good sample size.Originality/valueThis paper secures unique insider access to elite level female endurance athletes competing at world championship events. The study makes a contribution to knowledge in event studies by introducing concepts of “elite event interviewing” and the “athlete-event paradox”.

Prevention of Unethical Actions in Nursing Homes

2008 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 536-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Merethe Solum ◽  
Åshild Slettebø ◽  
Solveig Hauge
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Discourse Ethics ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Theoretical Interpretation ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Daily Care ◽  
Moral Problems

Ethical problems regularly arise during daily care in nursing homes. These include violation of patients' right to autonomy and to be treated with respect. The aim of this study was to investigate how caregivers emphasize daily dialogue and mutual reflection to reach moral alternatives in daily care. The data were collected by participant observation and interviews with seven caregivers in a Norwegian nursing home. A number of ethical problems linked to 10 patients were disclosed. Moral problems were revealed as the caregivers acted in ways that they knew were against patients' interest. We used a theoretical interpretation according to Habermas' discourse ethics on the importance of dialogue when deciding moral courses of action for patients. This theory has four basic requirements: communicative competence, equality, self-determination, and openness about motives.

scholarly journals Protocol for a Rapid Scoping Review of Evidence of Outdoor Transmission of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Weed ◽  
Abby Foad
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Mass Gatherings ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Outdoor Transmission ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mass Participation ◽  
National Governments

The COVID-19 pandemic is both a global health crisis, and a civic emergency for national governments, including the UK. As countries across the world loosen their lockdown restrictions, the assumption is generally made that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is lower outdoors, and this assumption has shaped decisions about what activities can re-commence, the circumstances in which they should re-commence, and the conditions under which they should re-commence. This is important for events and activities that generate mass gatherings, particularly mass participation sports events such as running, but also events in other sectors such as concerts, carnivals and festivals. This paper sets out a protocol for a rapid scoping review of evidence of incidents of outdoor transmission of COVID-19, including the settings, environments and circumstances of such transmission, and their comparative prevalence to incidents of indoor transmission. Its purpose is to inform discussions about the recommencement of activities that generate mass gatherings.

scholarly journals Development of the Program of Effective Use of Objects of Sports Infrastructure of the City

2018 ◽  
pp. 94-98
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Sports Facilities ◽  
Service Package ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The City

Sports infrastructure in Tatarstan received a boost to improvement during the preparation of the capital of the region for the XXVII World Summer Universiade. Participation in such international sports events forms a certain experience and base, named as a heritage, raises the quality of life of the population, stimulates a healthy lifestyle. In order to improve the efficiency of the use of sports infrastructure facilities, an analysis of the actual capacity of the municipal sports facilities was conducted. A program is presented to improve the efficiency of the use of sports infrastructure facilities of the city of Kazan. The scope of the program includes measures to improve the regulatory framework, the need to develop a range of standards in the formation of a guaranteed social service package, including physical education and sports, etc.

The pedagogical basis of physical education at school

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-118
Author(s):  
A. Kuspanova ◽  
◽  
E. Seisenbekov ◽  
B. Elshiev ◽  
B. Usupaliev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Teacher Behavior ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
School Students ◽  
Comprehensive Program ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Academic Year

The rules for physical education in schools are designated and approved in accordance with the specific conditions, the availability of equipment, equipment, gyms, playgrounds and other facilities of each school. The rules indicate the order of classes, the application of efforts to perform oral and other tasks of the teacher, behavior, a conscientious attitude to orders during physical education classes. Each student must strictly observe the rules of personal and public hygiene. To fulfill the objectives of the school curriculum, students must make every effort to develop motor qualities. It is advisable to ensure the participation of students in all extracurricular and extracurricular physical education and sports events. In general, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle for each student, teachers are required to develop a comprehensive program to conduct various activities held at the school for the entire academic year. A comprehensive program is developed taking into account the age characteristics of schoolchildren, ranging from primary school to high school students.

Coping With Growth in Adolescent Elite Sport

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Schubring ◽  
Ansgar Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Growth Process ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Transitional Period ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Elite Sport ◽  
Conversational Analysis ◽  
Young Athletes

Growing up in elite sport represents a challenging project. Young athletes must negotiate a career-defining transitional period while in the midst of adolescence. In this context, notably, the growth process can lead to health problems such as overloading and injuries. In this article, we investigate how adolescent elite athletes cope with problematic growth experiences. Taking a Bourdieusian perspective, we consider coping to be a socioculturally-located practice. Drawing on qualitative interviews and participant observation in German elite sport, our conversational analysis reveals five typical coping strategies among young athletes: (a) distancing, (b) rationalization, (c) active agency, (d) self-disciplining, and (e) responsibility transfer. We reflect on the health-compromising side effects of these strategies as well as the implications for the sporting community’s handling of growth problems.

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