Sport successes, 'against all odds'
2026 (English)In: Sport in Society: Cultures, Media, Politics, Commerce, ISSN 1743-0437, E-ISSN 1743-0445, Vol. 29, no 1, p. 105-129Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Initially, as a scholastic horizon, the article reflects on general thesis/studies linked to sport participation and selection processes as well as in relation to talent identification and talent development. Yet, the basic departure - and the main subject - in the work is those elite athletes who, for some reason, ought to have been sorted out - due to various obstructions - but who have not been disregarded or ruled out in the general selection process, and in fact have had successes in elite sport, 'against all odds', notwithstanding cultural, physical, geographical and/or social difficulties and barriers. Thus, the article will revolve around issues related to differentness, whether what is considered different is of a social, cultural, physiological, or medical nature. Accordingly, discussions about normality and cultural hegemony stand as important elements in the approach, as well as in the analysis. This reasoning is, substantially, supported by interviews with four Swedish elite athletes, who have made a success on an elite level, 'against all odds'. By introducing the concept of 'the uncaptured' - as a balancing act at the edge of exclusion and inclusion - the analysis of these interviews results in a support of a wider and humanistic direction in talent identification and talent development, to encourage and support outsiders.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Abingdon: Routledge, 2026. Vol. 29, no 1, p. 105-129
Keywords [en]
talent identification and development, 'sport for all', selection processes, physical hinderance, cultural barriers, social difficulties, motivation, self-image
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences
Research subject
Social Sciences, Sport Science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-143815DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2025.2596510ISI: 001639587600001Scopus ID: 10.1080/17430437.2025.2596510OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-143815DiVA, id: diva2:2024704
2025-12-302025-12-302026-01-08Bibliographically approved