Raising the crossbar: power politics and the role of values and self-interest in sport
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Date
2013
Authors
Labuschagne, Pieter
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Humanities, University of the Free State
Abstract
Within the broader ambit of sport the organisation and administration of athletics have been
underpinned or driven by strong opposing undercurrents such as self-interests and basic values such
as fairness and equality. In the South African context power politics and the interference of central
government in sport followed a strong self-interest in sport, which translated into regulatory policies
which resulted in the isolation of most sports codes from international participation. In the article the
path of athletics in South Africa is recounted as an example of a sports code that has been dictated
and dominated by the two approaches to sport – the emphasis on how the self-interest displayed by the
South African National Party led government translated into the isolation of South Africa in the sport
of athletics on the world stage. However, during democratic normalisation in the country a strong value
driven approach was adopted which paved the way for South Africa back into the fold of international
sport. Unfortunately, at the same time, in a climate of commercialisation and self-interest, sports
administrators of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Amateur Athletics
Federation (IAAF) delayed the re-entry of South Africa into international sport for more than a year.
Description
Keywords
Power politics, Values, Athletics, Olympic games, International Olympic Committee
Citation
Labuschagne, P. (2013). Raising the crossbar: power politics and the role of values and self-interest in sport. Journal for Contemporary History, 38(2), 91-104.