Sports fans are in for a treat: with both the European Football Championship and Olympic Games taking place this summer, 2024 is a real summer of sport. Science might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of sport. But there are numerous researchers at Erasmus University Rotterdam, in a variety of fields, who deal with sport in their work. Like sports philosopher Sandra Meeuwsen, for instance. During the last weekend of the Summer Olympics in Paris, she is organising — on behalf of our university — a symposium on the relationship between Impact, Integrity and Inclusion in and through sport.
Sport and philosophy may seem like an unusual combination to outsiders. What do you find so interesting about sport?
'Modern sport has a specific ideological foundation, with a certain view of humanity and guiding values which relate to current issues in and around sport. As philosophers, we peel back these largely implicit layers and ask questions about their roots and how they originated. This creates room for alternatives, such as a more "humanised" view of elite athletes, or steering less towards additional rules and more towards strengthening morality at all levels of this professional field.'
'Public support for top-level competitive sport has declined as a result of various abuses.'
Sandra Meeuwsen
Sports philosopher
What current social issues can be found in the world of sport?
'These naturally include current topics like polarisation, inclusion, diversity and anti-discrimination. You could say that sport holds a magnifying glass to such issues, which now clamour for attention in our society as a whole as well. To that same end, ensuring integrity in sport and increasing its social impact still play an important role. Public support for sport, top-level and otherwise, has declined due to various abuses — which only further increases the need to make lasting improvements in this regard.'
'In ESPRIT, we are researching how a systemic approach can make a difference here. When we say “systemic”, that means that we relate individual behaviour — and therefore morality — to persistent institutional tendencies in sport, which have created and perpetuate these issues. That can include using financial incentives or penalties to enforce policy. Which means “tougher” correlating issues, such as the governance and financing of professional and amateur sport, now demand attention as well. In part because of the radically altered political climate.'
About ESPRIT
The Erasmus Centre for Sport Integrity & Transition (ESPRIT) offers a unique combination of applied ethics at the heart of modern sport, as well as scientific research to support the challenges facing the world of modern sport. As an interdisciplinary research group, ESPRIT’s primary objective is to investigate and address complex integrity issues in sport amidst a world in transition. Learn more.
Why is it so important to explore these themes from the specific perspective of sport?
'Because sport offers us a unique prism for thinking about our current socio-economic challenges. Modern sport has autonomous governance, with its own rules and regulations, training programmes and sport-specific mores. But this protected bubble is no match for the forces that have free rein in the "real" world: belligerence, greed, the compulsion to control or conquer, to name but a few. It can teach us a lot about how we can turn the tide on certain broader developments as well. Take polarisation, where sport can serve to bridge our differences — or magnify them. What mechanisms are at work here and how can a new balance be created?'
How can philosophy contribute to solutions to complex issues such as discrimination, inequality, fraud or abuse?
'In ESPRIT, we are always seeking a distinctive, complementary contribution to clarifying the ‘wicked problems’ in sport. When it comes to, say, improving integrity, more legislation and more compliance procedures are not much use. We are exploring how a soft approach, consisting of embedded ethics and systemic interventions, can have a more lasting impact.'
Special recognition
At a Pre-Olympic Conference in Paris, Sandra Meeuwsen received the Prix des Amis 2024, a special kind of Olympic medal. By awarding her this medal, the Comité Français Pierre de Coubertin honoured Sandra’s commitment to the evolution of the Olympic spirit, and in particular to promoting wider application of French philosophy for the benefit of international sports philosophy.
Do you think international sports competitions will look very different in 10 years' time?
'Yes, I think we are moving towards a more modest, "shell" model. In other words, one with facilities that can be set up and taken down for reuse, allowing us to enjoy the magic of sport in a much more sustainable way. Instead of holding the Olympic Games on a different continent every time, maybe just have Greece host them. After all, that’s where the ancient Olympics originated. For global football, the math is different: here, the thirst for ever-grander spectacles and the acceptance of dubious regimes as hosts will lead to an implosion of the support base and therefore the revenue model. And that, too, will eventually result in less-megalomaniacal World Cups.'
'We are moving towards a more modest model for major sports competitions.'
Sandra Meeuwsen
Sports philosopher
What are you staying home for (or setting out to see) this summer?
'Personally, I love cycling and athletics — the sports in which I have performed quite well myself. So I follow the Tour de France closely, and of course I’ll be watching the track and field competitions in Paris. Femke Bol, of course, but I’m also very curious to see what events Sifan Hassan will be competing in. I also love watching the swimming competition. I was a triathlete and so I’m also crazy about swimming. Very curious to see if there will be swimming in the Seine!'
About Sandra Meeuwsen
Sandra Meeuwsen studied philosophy at Radboud University Nijmegen. While at university, she discovered track and field events and then the triathlon. She was ranked among the top 10 triathletes in the Netherlands and later became a trainer and coach in that sport. From 1994 to 2007, Sandra worked at NOC*NSF, after which she founded her own agency to assist sport associations, municipalities and national policy partners in developing sports policy. In 2020, she received her PhD from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel for a philosophical dissertation on the downside of modern sport. Since June 2022, Sandra has been director of the Erasmus Centre for Sport Integrity & Transition (ESPRIT), part of the Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil).
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