THE Sports Lift Project: a study of governing relations

• BACKGROUND: In 2003 the Swedish Parliament voted for a “Handshake with Sport”, a four years sport-promoting project for children and youth. The Confederation received approximately 100 million EURO to allocate among its federations and the aim was to open the doors of sport. A prioritized sub-theme was to encourage schools to promote physical activity. In 2006 to 2014 the project continued with about 400 million EURO as the “Sports-lift-project”, only with slightly modified general aims. AIMS: This study is a research project aiming to evaluate effects of the Sports-lift; especially the Swedish University Sports Federation and the Recreation and Exercise Sports Federation. The results focus on the theoretical concept governmentality, with emphasis on corporatism and of sport organizations and sport activities in school. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with responsible persons at the Swedish Sport confederation, the two Sport federations and at the Ministry of Culture and Sport. The interviews were recorded and rules of ethical considerations have been followed. RESULTS: The results show that understanding in terms of unity and consensus is a vital part of the Sports-lift. The informants from the Confederation/the Federations and the Ministry of culture and sport meant that the realization of the Sports-lift demanded considerable space for the Sport associations and little governing from the ministry. DISCUSSION: The almost invisible governance from the state in the Sports-lift is a very efficient strategy in a situation where actors are dependent of each other (sports are generally popular among voters and the sport sector is in need of government support). But it is also a venturesome line of action if the counterparts lack in mutual trust, which can jeopardize the whole project.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Sports Lift

Sweden

Governing

Sport

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)