European Sports Research Articles

‘Europe Gets More Game Everyday’. Professional Basketball, Transatlantic Sports Models and European Integration since the 1950s

This paper examines the current feud between the two main actors of professional basketball in Europe - FIBA Europe and Euroleague Basketball - from a socio-his­torical perspective. It aims to delineate the diplomatic negotiations and organiza­tional shifts in European sport competitions in relation to the growing influence of US basketball during the Cold War. Through an analysis of official reports and the press, as well as interviews with members of the European Parliament, this paper shows that basketball has acted as an informal sporting corollary to the 1957 Treaty of Rome, promoting the European community by way of a meritocratic system of sports competitions between teams or nations. The rivalry under study shows that the hegemonic post-Cold War US market-based model has challenged the ideas be­hind a “European model of sports”, ultimately putting the recent legislatures in a quandary about the initial consensus behind European integration.

The Analysis of Reformed Physical Education and Sport Curriculum Under International Policies

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Türkiye’de yenilenen beden eğitimi ve oyun/spor dersi öğretim programlarının uluslararası beden eğitimi ve spor politika belgeleri kapsamında analiz edilmesidir. Uluslararası spor politika belgelerinin öncelikli amacı, UNESCO Uluslararası Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Şartı (1978)’nda ifade edilen temel bir hak olan beden eğitimine erişimin taraf devletlerin kendi yetki alanlarında güvence altına alınması için gerekli düzenlemelere rehberlik sunmaktır. Beden eğitimine erişim hakkı standartlarına uygun olarak hayata geçirilmesi için politika belgelerinde ortak bir anlayış bulunmakta ve bu anlayış, küresel düzeyde norm (prensip) olarak kabul edilmektedir. Araştırmada doküman analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. İncelenen politika belgeleri, UNESCO Uluslararası Beden Eğitimi, Fiziksel Aktivite ve Spor Şartı, UNESCO MINEPS Berlin Deklarasyonu ve Kazan Eylem Planı, Avrupa Spor Şartı, Avrupa Spor Etiği Kuralları, Avrupa Birliği Sporda Beyaz Kitap ve Uluslararası Olimpiyat Komitesi Olimpik Antlaşmadır. Bu belgelerde bulunan normların, İlköğretim beden eğitimi ve oyun/spor dersleri ile Ortaöğretim beden eğitimi ve spor dersi öğretim programlarında hangi kapsamlarda ve nasıl bir bağlamda ele alındığı incelenmiştir. Doküman analizi sonucunda, uluslararası politika belgelerinde ifade edilen normların bazılarının, her üç dersin öğretim programlarında bazı farklılıklar olmakla birlikte programların temel felsefesi, yeterlilikler, kazanımlar, değerler, değerlerle ilişkili tutum ve davranışlar ve öğrenme alanları kapsamlarına dahil edildiği bulunmuştur. Fakat toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği normunun programların herhangi bir aşamasında benimsenmediği görülmüştür. Sonuç olarak, ülkemiz öğretim programlarında yer almayan ama uluslararası politika belgelerinde yer alan toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği normunun beden eğitimi ve spor programlarına dahil edilebileceği ve bunun da programın niteliğini ve kapsayıcılığını arttıracağı öngörülmektedir.

Особенности взаимодействия России и стран Северной Европы в сфере спорта: исторический аспект

The article examines development of cooperation between Russia and the North European countries in the sphere of sport. The author suggests his own periodization of the Russian - North European sports relations history from the moment of professional sport origin and regular sports competitions introduction till nowadays, identifies peculiarities of each period. Scientific originality of the study involves a comprehensive analysis of Russia’s sports relations with the North European countries. Influence of intensive cooperation in sport on international relations is revealed. The research findings are as follows: the author proves that cooperation in sport helped to overcome political tension and to establish friendly neighbourhood relations between Russia and the North European countries.

PMS76 Correlation between Accelerometer and Ipaq-SF-Derived Sedentary Time in Hungarian Adults, Preliminary Study of the Eupasmos Project

The reliable examination of the health enhancing physical activity is one of the main goal of the European Physical Activity and Sport Monitoring System (EUPASMOS) project. The self-report measured physical activity (PA), especially IPAQ-SF are popular but the reliability is not examined among Hungarian adults population. Furthermore several studies proved that sedentary behaviour negatively impacts health status. Our study aim was to compare an important score, the sedentary time measured by accelerometer and IPAQ-SF. The study comprised 593 participating adults (248 males and 345 females, age: 44.41±18.64). The data was collected during February-May 2019 in Budapest and Pécs and their agglomeration, using quota sampling by age and gender representing the Hungarian adult (18+) population. The self-reported physical activity by IPAQ-SF was compared to RM 42 hip-worn triaxial accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Data were presented as median and interquartile range (IQR), Spearman’s rank correlation was used to compare the objective and subjective PA measurement tools using SPSS 24. program, where level of significance was set at p<0.05. The IPAQ-SF sedentary time (ST) per day (min/day) for the full sample was 360.00 (240.00-480.00) and the median accelerometer-derived ST was 505.00 (434.50-578.50) min/day. The self-reported and accelerometer-based data were significantly correlated (R=0.236, p<0.001). However the questionnaire results were overestimated the accelerometer-based result. The median difference between the two measurement was 150.00 min/day (-29.00-293.50) Notable result was that the ST was significantly negatively correlated with age (Accelerometer: R=-0.114, p=0.007; IPAQ-SF: R=-0.145; p=0.001). Overall, we conclude that the IPAQ-SF was not showed strong reliability in ST examination. The questionnaire was weakly correlated with accelerometer data but further analysis needed to test the validity and reliability of the questionnaire compare to the accelerometer and other measurement tools to suggest the best self-reported questionnaire to measure PA level of the population.

THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY WOMEN IN PURSUING A MANAGERIAL CAREER IN SPORTS

With considerable efforts, women have made remarkable progress and have become increasingly present in the sporting phenomenon, both as athletes and in various management positions. However, compared to men, they are still under-represented in the management positions of sports organizations, especially at senior management levels. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (European Commission, 2014), the percentage of women in management positions in leading sports organizations was very low in 2014 (an average of 10%); also, out of 52 European sports federations, 20 had no women on their federal boards and only two had women as presidents. In 2017, out of the 74 national sports federations in our country, only 7 had female presidents. We should also not forget that there are still situations where women are paid less than men for work of equal value (according to the same European Institute for Gender Equality, women would earn 2 euros per hour less than men, on average). Given these data, we wanted to identify the difficulties encountered by women in managerial careers. For our study, we conducted a series of interviews with women managers in sport organizations from our country. The interviews had pre-determined questions and were focused on issues such as: gender discrimination, differences in remuneration between women and men, barriers and obstacles to promoting at work, difficulties and limitations encountered by women in pursuing their managerial careers

Social Integration of People With a Migration Background in European Sports Clubs

Policy makers often ascribe sports clubs an important societal role, as they can encourage the integration of people with a migration background. Questions then arise as to the extent that members with a migration background are integrated in sports clubs and what the factors are that play a role in this integration. The data for this research are drawn from a comparative study of 10 European countries. The analyses take a multidimensional approach to social integration and differentiate between the dimensions of understanding/acceptance, interaction, and identification. The results show that members with a migration background are relatively well integrated, but less so than other club members. There is a positive association between social integration and the volunteering, participation in competitions, long-term membership, and sports activities in teams.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HORSE OF THE UKRAINIAN SPORTS BREED GROUP THAT IS BEING CREATED

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HORSE OF THE UKRAINIAN SPORTS BREED GROUP THAT IS BEING CREATED

Homo- and transnegativity in sport in Europe: Experiences of LGBT+ individuals in various sport settings

There is broad academic consensus that LGBT+ individuals have been marginalised in both sporting culture and in the academic literature. While the majority of academic research is conducted in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia, the present research is the first to provide a comprehensive picture of the situation and experiences of LGBT+ individuals in sport in Europe based on a quantitative online survey with LGBT+ respondents over 16 years old ( N = 5524). Against the background of a multilevel model for understanding the experiences of LGBT+ individuals and the minority stress model, this article focuses on two questions: firstly, if, and to what extent, LGBT+ individuals witness or experience homo-/transnegative episodes in sport and, secondly, whether they refrain from participating in sport and/or feel excluded from specific sports due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The analysis takes into account diverse intersections of sexual orientation and gender identities within the umbrella of LGBT+ and different sport contexts that reflect the broad scope of sport cultures. Data reveal that non-cisgender persons make up the most vulnerable group within the umbrella of LGBT+ and that there is an inverse relation of distal/proximal stressors with regard to experiences of homophobic language in different sport contexts.

Gender Identities in Organized Sports-Athletes' Experiences and Organizational Strategies of Inclusion.

In relation to conceptualizing sports, beliefs about sex binary and male hegemony are dominant. To match these assumptions and provide level playing fields, sport systems are based on sex-segregation. Thus, people who do not fit into or reject fitting into sex categories are hindered from participating in sports, particularly organized sports. Studies on social exclusion of gender-identity minorities in sports mainly adopt a qualitative approach and focus on Anglophone countries. This research is the first to provide a comprehensive picture of the experiences of LGBT+ athletes in organized sports settings in Europe and is based on a quantitative online survey (n = 2,282). The current paper draws special attention to differences between cisgender and non-cisgender athletes (including transgender men, transgender women, non-binary, and non-identifying individuals). Besides athletes' experiences, organizational strategies of inclusion, derived from qualitative interviews with stakeholders from sport systems in five European countries (Germany, Scotland, Austria, Italy, and Hungary) are examined. Theoretically anchored in Cunningham's (2012) multilevel model for understanding the experiences of LGBT+ individuals and Meyer's (2003) minority stress model, the paper aims to (1) analyze the assessment of transnegativity and (2) examine negative experiences (prevalence, forms, perpetrators) of LGBT+ athletes from organized sport contexts in Europe; and (3) discuss inclusive strategies in sports organizations in Europe. Data reveal that transnegativity is perceived as a major problem in European sports, and non-cisgender athletes are the most vulnerable group, suffering particularly from structural discrimination. The implementation of inclusive strategies for non-cisgender athletes is perceived as a complex and essential task, but the sports organizations in the five countries differ substantially in terms of the status of implementation.

The total sporting arms race: benchmarking the efficiency of public expenditure on sports in EU countries

ABSTRACT Research question The goal of this research is to determine patterns and evolution of relative technical efficiency, as well as its role in changes of total factor productivity of the public spending on sports in EU member countries. Research methods An input-oriented, variable returns to scale model of data envelopment analysis and Malmquist productivity index are applied. They involve two outputs (mass participation in sport and elite sport successes), and two inputs (public and households’ spending on sports). Results and Findings The technical efficiency across EU countries shows a clear heterogeneity and volatility. Aside from six to seven efficient countries in each time period, other countries register a continuum of inefficiency scores, down to 0.08–0.20, which is indicative of important potential savings in public spending. From a time perspective, five patterns of efficiency and productivity evolution are identified. The common phenomenon is a deterioration of production possibilities which is not offset by rising managerial efficiency. Implications The study contributes to the comparative research of sport systems in Europe. Its results may enable peer learning and inform future initiatives, both at the national level and in the framework of the emerging European sport policy. In particular, the study indicates benchmark countries for each inefficient country, which is an interesting start for further qualitative exploration for both researchers and policy makers.

Stadium attendance demand during the COVID-19 crisis: early empirical evidence from Belarus

ABSTRACT In this note, we consider early evidence regarding behavioural responses to an emerging public health emergency. We explore patterns in stadium attendance demand by exploiting match-level data from the Belarusian Premier League (BPL), a football competition that kept playing unrestricted in front of spectators throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, unlike all other European professional sports leagues. We observe that stadium attendance demand in Belarus declined significantly in the initial period of maximum uncertainty. Surprisingly, demand then slowly recovered, despite the ongoing inherent risk to individuals from going to a match.

International Sport Forum of the Strength & Conditioning Society (SCS) and the European Sport Nutrition Society (ESNS).

On behalf of the Strength & Conditioning Society (SCS) and the European Sport Nutrition Society (ESNS), we are pleased to present the abstracts of the 2019 International Sport Forum on Strength & Conditioning & Nutrition, which took place in Madrid, Spain from November 15th–16th 2019. The meeting provided evidence-based education to advance the science and practice on the fields of sport nutrition, training, rehabilitation and performance. It also disseminated cutting-edge sport nutrition and strength and conditioning research, promoted the translation of basic science into the field and fostered the future of the field by providing young practitioners and researchers with the opportunity to present their findings through oral and poster communications, the abstracts of which can be found in this Special Issue of Sports. Renowned international and national speakers provided comprehensive updates, workshops and insights into novel scientific topics covering various areas of sport nutrition and strength and conditioning science. We were fortunate to have a wide range of speakers and presenters from all areas—strength training, conditioning to prevent injuries and improve performance, nutrition and supplementation for fitness and high-performance sports. A data-flash and poster session allowed for the presentation of the latest results of current research. Most importantly, the meeting provided ample opportunities to bring people together to discuss practical questions related to training and nutrition and plan scientific projects. With cutting-edge research and best practice in mind, this joint conference was an important means to pursue the missions of the SCS and ESNS. Rather than being a single event, the forum in Madrid was the starting point for a series of regular meetings on Strength & Conditioning & Nutrition to be held worldwide, so make sure to visit the websites of the SCS and ESNS and follow us on social media to receive updates and connect with our members. We proudly look back on an exciting, inspiring and informative meeting in Madrid!

In Troubled Water? European Sports Clubs: Their Problems, Capacities and Opportunities

We study problems experienced by sports clubs from nine European countries – Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Spain – and factors – national characteristics and organizational capacities – explaining variation in problem perceptions. Data is surveys of more than 30,000 sport clubs. We investigate five types of club problems: recruitment/retention of members, recruitment/retention of volunteers at the board level, recruitment/retention of coaches/instructors, financial situation of clubs and availability of sport facilities. We found that human resource problems were widespread in Denmark and Germany and least common in Belgium. In Hungary, Poland, and Spain, finances and facilities stood out as the most reported problems. Some capacities – negative financial balance, planning capacity and social climate – have systematic and direct implications for those involved, whereas others – size and professionalization – are more difficult to interpret systematically and harder to link to strategic policy actions.

Hobby, career or vocation? Meanings in sports coaching and their implications for recruitment and retention of coaches

ABSTRACT Rationale/Purpose: Traditional European sports clubs are facing increasing pressures to professionalise their services, while also encountering difficulties in the recruitment and retention of the coaching workforce. We used the concept of meaningful work to explore why coaching is worthwhile to coaches and how they have responded to the changes in the structural and narrative context of their work. Methodology: Drawing on narrative inquiry, we explored the various meanings and justifications that athletics (track and field) coaches assign to coaching in Finland and England. Twenty-three coaches (8 women, 15 men) aged 22–86 participated in narrative interviews that were analysed using thematic narrative analysis. Findings: The younger coaches mainly constructed coaching as a hobby and more often placed value on personal benefits, whereas many older coaches described coaching as a vocation/calling and emphasised causes that transcend the self (e.g. tradition, duty and leaving a legacy). Practical implications: Understanding the diverse ways in which coaching is meaningful is vital for supporting the recruitment and retention of the coaching workforce in sport clubs. Research contribution: The study extends understandings of meaningful work in coaching and how coaching is shaped by the broader structural and ideological contexts of the work.

Global hierarchy of team-sport leagues based on internet searches and revenues: Europe versus America

This paper contributes to the understanding of the modern sports industry in an international context. Two alternative approaches are adopted for establishing the hierarchy of team-sport leagues globally and for researching to what extent professional European football might have gained dominance relative to the major North American sports leagues. We first study the evolving economic situation of the main European and American sport leagues, in terms of both total revenues and broadcasting revenues. Then, we adopt an approach based on 'Google Trends' records to rank team-sport leagues according to the relative interest shown by the fans. We interpret the evolution over time as changes in the degree of support given to the Top-10 professional sports leagues worldwide. Finally, we estimate pooled OLS and GLS random effects models to examine the empirical relationship between leagues' revenues and internet searches to understand the prospects of the leagues concerning their popularity and potential revenues.

Dual Career of Elite Athletes in Greece

In the past 30 years, there has been extended research on athletes’ career development toward a promising dual career. Present research was focused on the description of the legal and educational framework about dual career athletes in Greece, as well as on identifying the obstacles, needs and challenges of elite young and former athletes, and stakeholders in the development of their dual careers. A survey was conducted on a total of eighty-four athletes and stakeholders residents of northern, southern, and central sport destinations of Greece. Young athletes, former athletes and stakeholders completed three different questionnaires. Demographics, attitudes, preferences and actual experiences about their athletic life and career were recorded in parallel with their educational life and professional career. Data analysis supported that elite athletes in Greece neither seemed to follow a common model proposed by the state or national policy nor seemed to be supported by national legislation leading to dual-career practices. It was remarkable that sport stakeholders in Greece indicated that dual-career program remained at an early stage and more effort from all participants was required. A SWOT analysis pointed out strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the dual-career status in Greece. Results focused on the lack of support by the government, sports institutions, educational and market structures to link all forces successfully for a sustainable dual career program. Comparing to European sport system and strategies, the study revealed similar weaknesses and mainly the absence of an official national legislation.

Stadium Attendance Demand During the Covid-19 Crisis: Early Empirical Evidence from Belarus

In this note, we consider early evidence regarding behavioural responses to an emerging public health emergency. We explore patterns in stadium attendance demand by exploiting match-level data from the Belarusian Premier League (BPL), a football competition that kept playing unrestricted in front of spectators throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, unlike all other European professional sports leagues. We observe that stadium attendance demand in Belarus declined significantly in the initial period of maximum uncertainty. Surprisingly, demand then slowly recovered, despite the ongoing inherent risk to individuals from going to a match.

The macroeconomic aspects of sport in Europe: a cross-country comparison

In this paper we aim to investigate the importance of the sports sector of the economy for macrolevel performance in the European Union Member States. The problem that we address is worthy of research focus as sport is a dynamically expanding and important sector of the economy. The increasing importance of sport in national economies cannot be fully analysed due to the lack of sufficient statistical data. In this paper, we provide a comparison of the Eurostat sports collections results and Sport Satellite Account-based examination of the contribution of sport to the GDP and value added. The analysis of statistical data is preceded by a description of the sports sector measurement. We establish that the contribution of sport is more remarkable for developed economies, however it has also been increasing over time in other EU Member States. This can be observed for employment, changes in enterprises’ statistics, and international trade. Household spending on sports goods and services also increases even if the Great Recession led to a downturn in sport consumption in some countries. The frequency and coherence of sports data collections related to its economic significance is not satisfactory. The issue needs to be given a higher priority by public authorities.

Living Life Through Sport: The Transition of Elite Spanish Student-Athletes to a University Degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences.

Interest in studying the different transitions faced by elite athletes throughout their careers has grown significantly in recent years. While transition from secondary school to university is an important research area in Europe, there is a void of studies on how student-athletes experience the transition to specific degrees. One of the most sought-after university degrees among elite athletes in Spain is a degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (PASS). The first aim of this study was to investigate the main demands, barriers, and resources perceived by elite student-athletes in various phases of dual career transition to a university degree in PASS. The second aim was to identify the transition pathways pursued depending on the subjective importance they attached to sport and education. Eleven elite student-athletes (Mage = 20.7, SD = 1.6 years) who were in their second and third year of the degree in PASS participated in semi-structured interviews. Deductive-inductive thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed three main themes: (a) general university transition issues, (b) PASS-specific transition issues, and (c) transition pathways. Our results show that the close link between sport and the content of the degree was perceived by the elite student-athletes as their main resource. This link, however, was also perceived as a major barrier as the compulsory practical subjects entailed a risk of injury or overtraining that could affect both athletic and academic development. We noticed how the importance they attached to sport or studies varied at different moments of the transition period, a phenomenon we termed “fluid transition pathways.” Dual career promotion for elite athletes is an important part of European sports policy, and our findings provide new knowledge that could help Spanish PASS faculties develop specific assistance programs to support transitioning student-athletes.

The Implications of the Recent Jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of Athletes and the Regulatory Autonomy of Sporting Federations

Fundamental rights of the EU are in principle applicable in relations of vertical nature, in which individuals are confronted with the state. However, in relations of horizontal nature, in which both parties are individuals and on equal terms, applicability of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU has been long disputed among scholars. Only recently, in rulings Egenberger and Bauer, the Court of Justice of the European Union has directly addressed this issue. This paper elaborates on the consequences of the Court’s decision for the European sports model, presents reasons for justification of horizontal applicability of fundamental rights of the EU towards sports and proposes a method of applying the framework developed by the Court to conducting sports activity in the EU. Main argument of the Author is that the rules regulating sporting activity, if this activity falls within the scope of the law of the EU, may be subject to assessment of conformity with fundamental rights of the EU thanks to direct horizontal applicability of the Charter, which explicitly results from the recent Court’s rulings.