ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH08
Introduction: In April 2024, media outlets reported the positive doping tests of 23 Chinese swimmers at a national swimming event in China in 2021. The case garnered considerable public attention and saw a heated debate emerge between key actors in anti-doping. This study seeks to understand how the case was presented in public, and the different strategies each side used to credit/ discredit and ultimately gain trust. Theoretical Framework: Using Bourdieu’s (1989) sociology, we understand anti-doping as a social space, or field, characterised by relations between actors, structuring, reshaping and reproducing the field through relations, doxic norms and struggles for symbolic capital. Methods: A frame analysis (Benford & Snow, 2000) was conducted on 205 articles from organisations, and media outlets to understand the way different actors represented the case. Articles were coded to highlight the different strategies used to gain support, and what meanings actors were giving to the situation. Results: Much of the actors’ communication revolved around enhancing their frame credibility, articulation, and resonance. They credited their own science, while undermining the ‘other sides’ in a struggle for empirical credibility, and used law as a device to support claims. Frequently, they used frame articulators (other actors) as a tool, who would be credited and discredited to present a certain frame. For example, ‘athletes’ were frequently highlighted by both sides as being in support of that organisations’ argument, but often it was ambiguous which athletes they were referring to. Finally, the use of athletes as credible frame articulators allowed actors to enhance their frame resonance, aligning their argument with established social norms of democracy and athlete voice. Aligning themselves with the ‘victims’ of this case allowed organisations to portray themselves as the voice of justice, without necessarily providing evidence for this claim. Discussion: Overall, the case both demonstrated, and worsened trust in anti-doping. Forceful accusations of cover-ups, systematic doping and misconduct undermine trust not only in the actors targeted, but in the anti-doping system in general. Allegations were often presented without irrefutable evidence, despite the certainty of the claims. The nature of the debate made trust difficult to rebuild, but recommendations include the creation of deliberative bodies so that critical voices can be heard, more proactive transparency and a call for organisations to refrain from unproven accusations, personality disputes and misrepresentations of ‘facts’ within the case.
Read CV Harry GrimesECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH08
Introduction: Sport embodies youth, health, and vitality, serving as a cornerstone for public well-being and national development. With its distinctive characteristics and multifaceted roles, it is an essential vehicle for enhancing public health, fulfilling citizens’ aspirations for a better life, and fostering comprehensive human development. This study explores the teleological, agency-driven, structural, instrumental, evaluative, and institutional foundations of sport development in China through three historically situated configurations. Methods:A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating historiography, systematic documentary analysis, abductive reasoning, and semi-structured interviews with policy experts and sector leaders. A systematic search of the CNKI database using “Sports Power” and “Sports Development” as keywords within CSSCI-indexed journals published between 2021 -2026 yielded 142 and 106 articles. More than 50 papers were reviewed, and over 10 interviews were conducted with leading experts in the field of sport development. Results:The evolution of China’s national sport system is an inherently historical process. As internal and external conditions shift, sport has evolved through various configurations across different periods, each corresponding to distinct developmental phases. This paper identifies three ideal-typical paradigms that have shaped the organization of sport development in China: 1. The Catch-up Paradigm (1949–2000s): Focused on national fitness, this phase was state-driven through the DanWei system, characterized by mandatory planning, evaluated by quota-based outcomes, and legitimated by top-down policy directives. 2. The Sustainability Paradigm (2008–2017): Shifted towards human-centered sport, enacted through public–private partnerships, regulated by collaborative governance structures, operationalized through balanced resource allocation, assessed by self-referential criteria, and stabilized within a legal framework. 3. The High-Quality Development Paradigm (Post-19th CPC National Congress): Emphasizes sport for the people, co-produced by diverse stakeholders, integrated through aligned sectoral policies, activated by relational governance mechanisms, assessed with optimization metrics, and supported by normative institutional frameworks. Conclusion:The transition between paradigms is not a linear progression but rather a dialectical process of continuity, refinement, and transcendence. Each configuration represents a rational response to the specific historical and socio-political conditions of its time. These paradigms illustrate the complex, evolving trajectory of China’s sport development, reflecting both the challenges and achievements of the nation's efforts to modernize and optimize its sport system. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how sport can be strategically leveraged for national development and public well-being, offering insights for future policy directions.
Read CV min jingECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH08
INTRODUCTION: Major international football events are more than showcases of athletic achievement; they also provide a unique lens on societal dynamics such as globalization, labor migration, and institutional interdependence. this study aimed to characterize and compare the globalization profile of top-level football competitions (FIFA World Cup, UEFA, CONMEBOL, and AFC) from 1991 to 2025 using affiliation data and social network analysis. METHODS: For each tournament edition, we constructed a bipartite network linking participating national squads to the domestic leagues of the clubs employing national players. A geometric phase-space analysis was performed using reduced major axis slope differences and centroid distances for three network metrics’ couplings: (C1) % of home-based players (FIFA 43.2±13.9, UEFA 36.2±17.5, CONMEBOL 49.6±23.0, AFC 33.7±14.4, respectively) vs. number of participating teams (30.2±4.1, 17.8±5.8, 12.3±1.8, 16.4±4.3); (C2) number of players based in non-participating, intercontinental leagues (16.8±6.9, 27.0±19.7, 15.7±7.3, 35.9±12.5) vs. % of non-participating intercontinental leagues (26.83±18.68, 37.35±31.45, 27.21±18.80, 60.33±13.57); and (C3) percentage of players based in foreign leagues located in participating countries (27.7±15.5, 22.7±21.0, 21.4±15.7, 5.9±2.3) vs. number of participating teams (minus one to exclude self-loops). RESULTS: C1 slopes were negative for AFC (−0.31; 95% CI [−0.68, ≈ 0), FIFA (−0.19 [−0.41, −0.16]) and UEFA (−0.577 [−0.78, ≈ 0]), indicating that editions increased participating teams with time with lower share of home-based players. Interestingly, CONMEBOL centroid had higher proximity with UEFA (d = 0.42) and larger distance with AFC (d =1.07). For C2, slopes were positive for AFC (0.62 [0.46, 0.97]), CONMEBOL (0.42 [0.33, 0.51]) and FIFA (0.87 [0.42, 1.35]). This indicates growing non-participating intercontinental leagues influence on global top-level football, especially Europe’s big five. AFC exhibited a steeper slope than CONMEBOL (Δ=0.20 [0.01, 0.62]), pointing to a clear pattern of high extra-confederation employment among African internationals. Centroids were closer between FIFA and UEFA (d = 0.61) and largest between AFC and UEFA (d=3.25). For C3, slopes were positive for AFC (0.53 [0.046, 0.64]) and UEFA (0.46 [0.34, 0.55]). FIFA exhibited lower slope differences than UEFA (Δ=−0.25 [−0.49, −0.12]). Centroid distances were small between FIFA–UEFA (d=0.57), and larger between AFC–FIFA (d=2.47). UEFA is an expanding regional labor market, while FIFA scales less strongly, and AFC remains qualitatively different: its within-participant circulation is low overall, implying that increasing tournament size does not translate into substantial mobility within the participating-country set. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the growing importance of intercontinental leagues in football and demonstrate how network-based methods can support practical, data-driven benchmarking of globalisation in the football labour market.
Read CV Juliana ExelECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH08