Abstract
Runner Emil Zátopek stood apart from other leading postwar Czechoslovak athletes. Thanks to his running performances, he occupied a prestigious social position that was further enhanced by both spontaneous and managed heroization. In the spirit of social constructivism, Zátopek is considered within the context of the socio-historical order of Czechoslovakia between 1948 and 1956. The sports star was handled and institutionalized in the environment of a satellite socialist state within the Soviet sphere of influence. Media and cultural depictions of Zátopek considered him in four roles: a state athlete, a spokesperson for the Stakhanovite ideology, a defender of peace, and a representative of the people’s democratic regime. Emil Zátopek’s role in contemporary society is thus an illustration of the symbolic world and his reciprocal relationship with those in power.
Published Version
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