Imperialisms in the Olympics of the Colonization in the Postcolonization: Africa into the International Olympic Committee, 1910–1965

After World War II, the principle of a colonized countries' self-determination was at stake in the international relationships emerging from the context of a Cold War and the decolonizations of Empires. Non-Governmental Organizations such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) become not only analyzers of the effects of competition between the different colonial powers, but also enlighteners of the imperial strategies which would turn the power struggles into partnership and cooperation. The fear of a political harnessing from the Occidental countries resulted in two reactions: the progressive integration of English-speaking African National Olympic Committees (NOCs) based on a Great Britain-controlled International Federations (1950–1972) and, eventually and as a direct consequence, the creation of French-speaking African NOCs (1956–1968) through the International Olympic Aid Commission (1961). From 1944 to 1963, conditions for possibility seemed to be gathered for the realization of a process of internationalization of African sport through the integration of new English- and French-speaking African countries into the IOC.     

Building an inclusive cycling “movement”: Exploring the charity-led mobilisation of recreational cycling in communities across Merseyside,England

In this article, the authors examined the charity-led implementation of an inclusive cycling programme across Merseyside in the North West of England. The project itself is delivered via a network of cycling 'hubs' that the charity has set up and run typically in deprived communities. Using resource mobilisation theory, the authors specifically examined how the Cycling Projects charity mobilises a raft of diverse resources from the financial to the human, and from the cultural to the physical, to drive and sustain its Pedal Away product. To do this, the authors utilise qualitative data captured from 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews undertaken with stakeholders both internal and external to the charity, as well as focus group data yielded from programme participants (n = 32). The findings illustrate how the charity is able to garner and exchange resources from its partners and funders, and the ways in which it mobilises both participants and personnel from within the communities it serves. As an original contribution to the sport management field, the authors demonstrate both the value and applicability of resource mobilisation theory as a theoretical framework by which to understand how a non-profit organisation derives the resources it requires in order to deliver a network of community embedded recreational cycling programmes.     

‘Thus far and no farther’: the rise of women’s hockey leagues in England from 1910 to 1939

ABSTRACT

The Lancashire and Cheshire Ladies Hockey League (LHL) was formed in 1910, ‘by way of dissenting from the policy of the All England Women’s Hockey Association [AEWHA]’, which disapproved of playing for championships or trophies.²2. Anon., ‘Ladies Hockey Gala’, Manchester Guardian, 3 April 1911, 3. Similar league competitions – set up and largely run by men – quickly followed in cities and towns across the North and Midlands, providing women with regular Saturday afternoon fixtures, as well as knockout cup games. After failing to find satisfactory accommodation within the AEWHA, several leagues broke away to form an alternative governing body, the English Ladies Hockey Leagues Association (ELHLA), which remained in existence until 1960. As well as organising inter-league games and cup competitions, the ELHLA selected England representative teams. With a focus on class and gender, this article – for the first time – will examine the AEWHA’s evolving attitude towards leagues from 1910 to the start of the Second World War, and the types of teams that populated these early competitions. It will also explore the conditions that gave rise to the ELHLA and the impact this organisation had on the authority of the AEWHA before 1939.     

‘Five goals,no boots’: an interrogation of the politics,play and racialised athleticism of late colonial football tours to England, 1949–1959

ABSTRACT

This essay explores a series of football tours from Britain's colonies in Africa and the Caribbean to Britain between the years 1949 and 1959. It examines the different desired political and diplomatic functions of the visits from a variety of perspectives, as well as considering the importance of sporting performance and football in particular in fulfilling these functions. Utilising academic work on body cultures as well as critical race theory, it interrogates the coverage and analysis of such tours in multiple outlets of the British media, with particular reference to the different racialisations players from these territories were subject to throughout the period, as well as how racial perceptions were projected, solidified and reconstructed through play and the existing technologies of reception in Britain. Finally, it stresses the importance of localised, seemingly innocuous settings (such as the lower league football stadium) in formulating meaning and signifying identity during the period.     

Football at the ‘End of the Line’: Economic Decline,Cross-Subsidies and Football League Membership in the NW Steel District of England

Sporting leagues are generally based on collectivist principles, as the members need one another to produce their product. For much of its existence, the Football League has functioned as a cartel, operating income-sharing arrangements and controlling its membership. In the period from 1959 to 1986, a limited number of clubs left the League through the re-election process, in modest recognition of geographical logic, as clubs from growth areas to the south typically replaced clubs from more traditional economic areas that were often over-represented in the Football League. Clubs are widely seen to be utility-maximisers seeking success. Success in a sporting league is defined in a precise and relativist way and this article focuses on two of the least successful clubs to have played in the Football League, Barrow AFC and Workington FC, whose failure to obtain repeated re-election in the 1970s removed the only Football League clubs in a distinct economic zone, the north-west coastal steel district. This article examines the re-election mechanism and the particular economic factors that affected these two clubs, ranging from the decline of their main local industry to changes in the levels of and responsibilities attaching to rising cross-subsidy payments in the Football League.     

“Good,better, creative”: the influence of creativity on goal scoring in elite soccer

This study investigated the level of creativity of goals scored in football. Therefore, all goals in the Football FIFA World Cup 2010 and 2014, as well as the Football UEFA Euro 2016 were qualitatively examined. Three Football experts evaluated the last eight actions before each goal using a creativity scale ranging from 0 to 10 (0 = not creative, 10 = highly creative) of all goals scored via open play (311 goals in 153 matches). Level of creativity was revealed using an Analysis of Variance and the frquency of high highly creative goals using a Kruskall- Wallis Test. The results showed that the closer the actions to a goal, the more creative they were evaluated. Teams that advanced to the later rounds of the tournament demonstrated greater creativity than teams that failed to do so. High creativity in the last two actions before the actual shot on goal proved to be the best predictor for game success. In conclusion, this study is the first one to show that creativity seems to be a factor for success in high level football. Thereby it provides an empirical basis for the ongoing debate on the importance of creativity training in football.     

Self-categorization process in sport: An examination of the “Linsanity” phenomenon in Taiwan

The “Linsanity” phenomenon attracted an increase in attention toward the National Basketball Association (NBA) for a short period of time. Drawing on self-categorization theory to elucidate current literature on team identification, this research proposed a conceptual model delineating the social psychological process for international consumers during the phenomenon. Using an online survey with a convenience sample in Taiwan, structural equation modeling, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and path analysis, validated the conceptual model and confirmed the relationships between constructs in the model. Results indicated that Taiwanese identification positively influenced player identification, while player identification mediated the relationship between Taiwanese identification and team identification. Consequently, team identification positively influenced NBA involvement. The research findings together contribute to explicating the mechanism behind consumers’ self-categorization process during the “Linsanity” phenomenon while offering implications for international sport marketing. The research concludes with suggestions for future research.     

Turning the Country into an “Immense and Clamorous Stadium”: Perón,the New Argentina,and the 1951 Pan-American Games

Abstract

During the Peronist regime (1946–1955), the Argentine government encouraged and financed a wide variety of sports activities. This investment bore fruit internationally and Juan Perón tried to make political capital out of the achievements of Argentine individual athletes or national teams in international competitions. Such achievements were presented as a collective victory of Argentine society, transcending the divisions of social class, ethnic origins, place of residence, or political affiliation. Argentine participation in the London Olympics in 1948, the hosting of the world basketball championship in Buenos Aires in 1950, and above all the organization of the first Pan-American games in the Argentine in March 1951, all, served to promote patriotism and national unity at home and improve the country’s image in the international scene. This paper focuses on an analysis of a 250-page book published by the sports magazine Mundo Deportivo, sponsored by the Peronist government, on the eve of the games. Both the text and the images attest to its populist character, its quest for modernity, emphasis on social mobility, and an authoritarian way of imposing national unity. The initiative to hold such games in Argentina dated back to 1940 but it had to be postponed twice: first to 1948 because of the Second World War, and then to 1951 because of the London Olympic Games. Perón’s government wanted these games to serve as a proof of the regime’s success. To that end, the president urged the organizers to ‘spur no effort’, promising them any financial assistance they might need. A year and a half before the inaugural ceremony, held at the Racing stadium (officially named the President Perón Stadium), the organizational effort moved into high gear, and Perón supervized it personally. Argentina was indeed the big winner in this event, its athletes capturing a total of 153 medals.     

Errors in judging “offside” in association football: Test of the optical error versus the perceptual flash-lag hypothesis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyse the correctness of the offside judgements of the assistant referees during the final round of the FIFA 2002 World Cup. We also contrasted two hypotheses to explain the errors in judging offside. The optical error hypothesis is based on an incorrect viewing angle, while the flash-lag hypothesis refers to perceptual errors associated with the flash-lag effect (i.e. a moving object is perceived as spatially leading its real position at a discrete instant signalled by a briefly flashed stimulus). Across all 64 matches, 337 offsides were analysed using digital video technology. The error percentage was 26.2%. During the first 15 min match period, there were significantly more errors (38.5%) than during any other 15 min interval. As predicted by the flash-lag effect, we observed many more flag errors (86.6%) than non-flag errors (13.4%). Unlike the predictions of the optical error hypothesis, there was no significant difference between the correct and incorrect decisions in terms of the positioning of the assistant referees relative to the offside line (0.81 and 0.77 m ahead, respectively). To reduce the typical errors in judging offside, alternative ways need to be considered to teach assistant referees to better deal with flash-lag effects.     

Unlocking a novel determinant of athletic performance: The role of the gut microbiota,short-chain fatty acids,and “biotics” in exercise

The gut microbiota refers to the collection of trillions of intestinal microorganisms that modulate central aspects of health and disease through influential effects on host physiology. Recently, a connection has been made between the gut microbiota and exercise. Initial investigations demonstrated the beneficial effects of exercise on the gut microbiota, with cross-sectional studies revealing positive correlations between exercise-associated states, and healthy gut microbiota and exercise interventions showed post-intervention increases in the abundance of beneficial bacterial taxa. More recent investigations have focused on exploring the reverse relationship: the influence of the gut microbiota on exercise performance. Murine investigations have revealed that certain bacterial taxa may enhance endurance exercise performance by augmenting various aspects of lactate metabolism. Further, short-chain fatty acids—which modulate metabolism at various organ sites, including within skeletal muscle—have been shown to enhance endurance exercise capacity in mice. This review highlights what is currently known about the connection between the gut microbiota and exercise, with a particular focus on the ergogenic potential of the gut microbiota and how it may be leveraged to enhance endurance exercise performance.     

‘One of the Worst Statistics in British Sport,and Wholly Unacceptable’: The Contribution of Privately Educated Members of Team GB to the Summer Olympic Games, 2000–2012

Much has been published on sport in Britain's private schools of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, but no research of modern policy, practice and outcomes has been conducted since the 1970s. Assessment of the contribution of these schools to Team GB at recent summer Olympic Games – and to international sport in general – by politicians, sports leaders and physical education lobbyists has thus largely been informed by speculation. Future government policy on physical education and sport in schools may therefore be influenced by flawed evidence. This article examines the schooling of all members of Team GB for the summer Olympic Games of 2000–2012, and compares the contribution of its privately educated and state-educated members in terms of performance in competition and medals won. Online research using the websites of schools, sports associations, governing bodies of sport, Olympic associations and the media, together with biographies of sportsmen and sportswomen, provided information about each team member's schooling, sporting background and Olympic record. The speculation was inaccurate – exaggerating the proportion of privately educated members of Team GB but underestimating their contribution.     

If you build it,will they come?: A case study of digital spaces and brand in the National Basketball Association

This case addresses the relationship between sport and digital spaces by introducing students to strategic marketing processes related to developing a team-managed fan website. The case was created in conjunction with three former members of the Cleveland Cavaliers who helped create www.cavfanatic.com, the official fan site of the team. Key areas addressed within the case study are brand development, brand communication, and brand extension. The case follows a new hire, Natalie, as she joins the new media team of www.cavfanatic.com. The sport marketers she works with review the development of the website and provide information on the strategic development process they went through. In the end, Natalie is charged with looking forward and developing further strategies to continue to engage the Cavaliers fans and to develop the CavFanatic brand.     

New evidence of relative age effects in “super-elite” sportsmen: a case for the survival and evolution of the fittest

The relative age effect (RAE) describes an overrepresentation of players born early (Q1) in a selection year and is highly prevalent within youth sport pathways. However, a dearth of research has investigated the RAE at the “super-elite” level. The present research assessed the presence of RAE in super-elite performers. Study 1 investigated RAEs in the world’s best international Test cricketers (N = 262) over a 20-year period according to a robust and stringent “super-elite” criteria. Results revealed the RAE (Q1) when all disciplines were combined. Upon closer examination, this effect was also observed for the batting and spin bowling disciplines, whereas no RAE was found for the pace bowling discipline. Study 2 investigated RAEs in super-elite rugby union players (N = 691) over a 20 year period. Results revealed the RAE for backs (Q1) and a reversal of the traditional RAE (Q4) for forwards, and when all rugby union positions were combined. These findings provide new evidence of RAEs at the super-elite level and present both inter and intra sports differences. Potential explanations for these findings are explored, owing to the survival and evolution of the fittest concepts, and the implications for future research and applied practice are presented.     

“Yes,we can!”: Perceptions of collective efficacy sources in volleyball

Abstract

Collective efficacy can be defined as a group's shared confidence that they will successfully achieve their goal. We examined which behaviours and events are perceived as sources of collective efficacy beliefs in a volleyball context. In Study 1, volleyball coaches from the highest volleyball leagues (n = 33) in Belgium indicated the most important sources of collective efficacy. This list was then adapted based on the literature and on feedback given by an expert focus group, resulting in a 40-item questionnaire. In Study 2, coaches and players from all levels of volleyball in Belgium (n = 2365) rated each of these sources on their predictive value for collective efficacy. A principal component analysis revealed that the 40 sources could be divided into eight internally consistent factors. Positive supportive communication (e.g. enthusiasm after making a point) was identified as the factor most predictive for positive collective efficacy beliefs. The factor referring to the negative emotional reactions of players (e.g. discouraging body language) was the most predictive for negative collective efficacy beliefs. These findings offer a starting point for the design of continuous measurements of collective efficacy through observation.     

Olympic medals and demo-economic factors: Novel predictors,the ex-host effect,the exact role of team size,and the “population-GDP” model revisited

The present study revisited the problem of estimating Olympic success by critical demo-economic indicators. The sample consisted of the 75 winner countries at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (not previously analyzed). Medal totals were log-linearly regressed on land, population, GDP, urban population, inflation, growth rate, unemployment, labor force, health expenditures, ex-host, and team size. Multiple regression assumptions were tested with proper diagnostics including collinearity. Olympic team size was the best single predictors of Olympic medals (R² = 0.690, p < 0.001), and as an alternative criterion variable was significantly regressed on population, growth rate, health expenditure, and unemployment (R² = 0.563, p < 0.001). Medal totals were significantly regressed on population, ex-host, health expenditure, growth rate, and unemployment (R² = 0.541, p < 0.001). The classical population-GDP model extracted only 28% of the variance in total medals (R² = 0.277, p < 0.001), and this was slightly improved when combined with unemployment (R² = 0.365, p < 0.001). It appears that the size of the Olympic team plays the role of transmitting the composite impact of a country's size and economy to the end-phase of Olympic success. Winning Olympic medals depends on the combined potential of population, wealth, growth rate, unemployment, ex-host, and social-sport expenditures. Larger and wealthier countries win more medals by “producing” larger Olympic teams as a result of possessing more athletic talents and better support for social and sport related activities.     

Gender difference in cycling speed and age of winning performers in ultra-cycling – the 508-mile “Furnace Creek” from 1983 to 2012

We analysed (i) the gender difference in cycling speed and (ii) the age of winning performers in the 508-mile “Furnace Creek 508”. Changes in cycling speeds and gender differences from 1983 to 2012 were analysed using linear, non-linear and hierarchical multi-level regression analyses for the annual three fastest women and men. Cycling speed increased non-linearly in men from 14.6 (s = 0.3) km · h^?1 (1983) to 27.1 (s = 0.7) km · h^?1 (2012) and non-linearly in women from 11.0 (s = 0.3) km · h^?1 (1984) to 24.2 (s = 0.2) km · h^?1 (2012). The gender difference in cycling speed decreased linearly from 26.2 (s = 0.5)% (1984) to 10.7 (s = 1.9)% (2012). The age of winning performers increased from 26 (s = 2) years (1984) to 43 (s = 11) years (2012) in women and from 33 (s = 6) years (1983) to 50 (s = 5) years (2012) in men. To summarise, these results suggest that (i) women will be able to narrow the gender gap in cycling speed in the near future in an ultra-endurance cycling race such as the “Furnace Creek 508” due to the linear decrease in gender difference and (ii) the maturity of these athletes has changed during the last three decades where winning performers become older and faster across years.