Code red for elite sport: A critique of sustainability in elite sport and a tentative reform programme
Peer reviewed, Journal article
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Date
2022Metadata
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Original version
European Sport Management Quarterly. 2022, Artikkel 2096661. 10.1080/16184742.2022.2096661Abstract
Research question: Is elite sport compatible with environmental sustainability? This paper critically investigates elite sports’ possible future in a world where cutbacks in resource use, pollution, and greenhouse gas emission are indispensable measures towards environmental sustainability.
Research methods: The paper is a conceptual and pragmatic inquiry that uses the current research literature to explore the logics of elite sport and its dynamics and alignment with paradigms of sustainability.
Results and findings: Elite sport’s extensive engagement with governments and commercial agents pursuing prestige, growth, and profit has created a current state of overheating and runaway processes that threatens both sport’s internal values and nature itself. The situation begs extending the self-imposed constraints in sports practice to the governance of sport in a way that is fully compatible with elite sport.
Implications: Provided concrete sustainability reforms are substantiated, on the innovation of equipment and technology, on state and commercial financing of elite sport, and on the organizing of competitions and mega-events, elite sport can flourish as a healthier and environmentally friendly social activity.
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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.