SPORT & EU

Following the success of the first SportsBites event entitled ‘The sustainable financing of sport and the future role of Sports organisers’ rights in the EU’, the second instalment of the series is quickly approaching.

The second SportsBites lunchtime debate will be held on 10 April; its topic will be: ‘Safeguarding the integrity of sport – how to protect the integrity of sport competitions?’

The discussion will be opened by a speaker yet to be confirmed who will give a short introduction on the problem of match-fixing. Emine Bozkurt, MEP and member of the special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering,  will then discuss the role of the European Parliament in helping combat match-fixing. Chris Eaton, Director of Sport Integrity at the International Centre for Sport Security, will then finally outline potential global strategies to rescue football.

The event will take place between 12.30 and 14.00 and will be hosted by Burson-Marsteller, 37 Square de Meuûs, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. As the title suggests, the discussion will be fuelled by a light lunch. Aspiring participants should contact Alexander Bielefeld by clicking here.

Sport&EU and Burson-Marsteller hope to organise one more ‘SportBites’ event before the summer break.

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SportsBites, a new initiative of Sport&EU and Burson-Marsteller, launches on 22 February in Brussels.

The Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union, together with Burson-Marsteller is pleased to announce the launch of its latest initiative: ‘SportBites’. This is an exciting development that will see the creation of a new forum for debate on EU sport policy in Brussels. Sport&EU and Burson-Marsteller will host in the coming year a series of lunchtime debates on sport related EU policy initiatives to provide a forum for academics, policy makers, EU professionals, sport officials, and the public to exchange ideas and knowledge to further strengthen dialogue in the field of sport policy.

The first ‘SportBites’ event will take place on 22 February from 12.30 – 14.00 and is kindly hosted by Burson-Marsteller in its Brussels headquarters: 37 Square de Meeus, 1000 Brussels. As the title suggests, ‘SportsBites’ will provide light lunch during the event.

For this launch, SportBites will focus on ‘the sustainable financing of sport and the future role of Sports organisers’ rights in the EU’. The development of both betting and media related intellectual property rights in sport represent important sources of income for professional sports and eventually for lower levels of the sports chain. It is a key question to many actors and stakeholders in how far the possibility of establishing licensing practices beyond the media field (e.g. gambling and betting) can contribute to the sustainable financing of sport.

To help us answer this question, we have invited three participants who will start the debate with a very short intervention. The Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU will open the event with a presentation on the presidency conference on the sustainable financing of sport, taking place in March 2013. Further a brief introduction into the field of sports and property rights will be presented by Benoit Keane (KEANE LEGAL) – a specialist on copyright and sports law. Finally, Dr Ben van Rompuy from the T.M.C. Asser Institute – which was recently awarded by the Commission to conduct a study on sports organisers’ rights in the EU, will present the framework and scope of the study. Hopefully these three very well informed speakers will spark enough controversy to maintain an animated debate with the participants.

Sport&EU and Burson-Marsteller hope to organise another two ‘SportBites’ before the summer break.

If you are interested in attending the launch of ‘SportBites’ on 22^nd February, please contact Alexander Bielefeld by clicking here no later than 7 February 2013.

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Sport&EU in cooperation with the Sport and Citizenship / Sport et Citoyenneté think tank launched a discussion on violence in sport in Europe. In an invited follow-up contribution to Bart Ooijen’s opening piece on the role and actions of the European Commission, Jonas Havelund and Lise Joern bring attention to some of the shortcomings of the existing regulation.  Jonas Havelund and Lise Joern are with the Section of Sport Science at Aarhus University and one of their articles was recently published in Sport&EU Review.

Sport&EU invites authors to contribute complementary or alternative views to this online debate.  The exchange will be reprinted in Sport&EU Review, the official journal of the Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union.

Categorisation of supporters: Beyond risk/non-risk

Violence and other offences in connection with sports events have managed to particularly attract the attention of the media, regulators and legislators. Special national legislation has been brought in to attempt to curb the problems in several cases by criminalizing what would otherwise be lawful conduct such as having a beer in a private rented coach on the way to a sporting event. Much of this special legislation has been developed on the conception that offences at sporting events are primarily committed by ‘hooligans’, who are out impossible to reach, and therefore there should be a crackdown on their actions. However, the reality often turns out to be something quite different, leading to individual voices, based on the ECHR, to question whether we are using the right tools to solve the problems.

One of the tools at the European level is increased police cooperation in the form of a pan-European training program for police officers, exchange of information in connection with international matches and the development of a common handbook for police action). The exchange of information with the National Football Information Points requires a standardized vocabulary such as that given in the handbook. However, this standardization is not unproblematic. For example, football supporters are categorized as being either “risk” or “non-risk”. What the risk is here is not specified, however, and the pair of opposites contains as few opportunities to communicate shades as do the colours black and white. But supporter culture is not black and white. It is many-coloured, multi-faceted and full of nuances. It is not one homogeneous group, nor even two groups, which are either “risk” or “non-risk”. There are a numerous of more or less fixed interacting groups with very different values and boundaries of acceptable behaviour – and the more insight you have into these dynamics, the better the possibility of marginalizing the unwanted behaviour. It has been documented many times that the presence of “risk supporters” is not necessarily synonymous with risky situations and escalation, just as the absence of “risk supporters” does not guarantee that an event will develop without the risk of unrest. But the concepts are still used in spite of the unintended consequence that stereotypical perceptions may frame the way that police perceive supporters. This leads to a considerable risk that the outcome will be confrontational, with a negative result to follow (For an overview, see Stott & Pearson (2007). Football ‘Hooliganism’. Policing and the War on the ‘English Disease’. Pennant Books). Risk is dynamic and the result of interaction between different parties, so it requires the ability to decode the “counterparty’s” modes of cultural expression in order to ensure a correct reading of a given situation and its level of risk. If not, there is a risk that actions may be seen as disproportionate and illegitimate, which can help to undermine public confidence in the police and the authorities. It is therefore essential that a greater focus is placed on the need to gain insights into supporter culture and use this knowledge in the drafting of legislation and, not least, in the handling of sports spectators.

As Bart Ooijen mentions in his article “Violence in sport: What does the European Commision do?” the EU Commission underlines the importance of investing more in social and educational measures to prevent violence in sport. In order to strengthening the quality of these measures it is crucial to base them upon research e.g. into supporter culture and its local, national and international cultural differences. Otherwise the measures, despite the intentions, risk missing the target. However, it is vital that there is a focus on how this knowledge can be applied and put into practice by the police and other authorities. And here it is essential that the knowledge-transfer between theory and practice goes both ways. The closer the exchange between theoretical knowledge and practical experience, the stronger the parties involved will be in overcoming the challenges they face.

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Sport&EU in cooperation with the Sport and Citizenship / Sport et Citoyenneté think tank launched a discussion on violence in sport in Europe. In an introductory contribution, Bart Ooijen presents the role and actions of the European Commission in preventing violence from occurring in sport. Bart Ooijen is a policy officer with the Sport Unit of the European Commission.

Sport&EU invites authors to provide complementary or alternative views on the issue in a debate that will be carried online and reprinted in Sport&EU Review, the official journal of the Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union.

Violence in sport: What does the European Commission do?

Violence in sport, especially at football grounds, remains a disturbing problem. Violent behaviour can jeopardise the role of sport as a tool to convey positive values.

Progress to avoid violence related to sporting events has been notable since the Heysel drama in 1985. National legislation and security regulations are in place, stadiums have been upgraded, international cooperation on the level of police and clubs has improved and the approach towards supporters has changed positively and is better managed.

Although sport and violence have been associated for a long time with football hooliganism, other professional sport events (for example basketball and ice hockey) are facing similar problems, albeit on a smaller scale. The problem is no longer limited to the most popular professional football leagues in Europe such as those of Italy, the UK, Spain and Germany: other leagues and international competitions and tournaments are also affected.

The Commission is committed to contributing to the prevention of spectator violence. On the basis of Council Decision 2002/348/JHA on security at international football matches, data exchange between National Football Information Points has been developed and further reinforced with UEFA. Exchange of operational information on risk supporters among police services and/or sports authorities has been made possible. The Commission promotes a wide use of the Handbook for Police Cooperation and supports pan-European training for police officers and safety personnel, to prevent and control violence more efficiently.

The European Commission recognises that violence in sport does not only concern spectators in major sport events. Unfortunately violence and various forms of intolerance occur in many modalities on the fields of local amateur clubs, especially in team sports. For example, a study on racism and ethnic discrimination in sport (2010) by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency indicates that racism has become more common in amateur sport and even in youth sport. It involves racist and other discriminatory attitudes such as anti-Semitism, anti-Muslimism and homophobia. The results of one of the projects funded in the framework of the EU’s 2011 Preparatory Action in the field of sport will inform us about sexual violence and harassment in sport. National governments and sport governing bodies have started projects in this field as well, recognising that just as many other sectors in society, sport has to fight against these phenomena.

In its 2011 Communication on sport, the Commission points out the importance of investing more in social and educational measures to prevent violence in sport. It is a fact that law enforcement authorities cannot deal with the underlying causes of violence in sport alone. To ensure that sport keeps its welcoming and enjoyable character and to minimise safety and security risks, all competent agencies should be encouraged to support or implement social and educational measures to prevent violence. By doing so, sport could also function as a positive example for other sectors in society and contribute to the fight against violence in general. The Commission encourages the exchange of best practices in this field.

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The Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union is searching for candidates to organise its 9th annual conference in summer 2014. Given the success of past conferences and the good prospects of our upcoming conference in Istanbul in 2013, it is fair to say that Sport&EU’s annual conference is becoming a regular stop in the academic circuit. It is also particularly attractive for practitioners. Thus, local organisers certainly benefit from organising the event.

This year there is a two stage application process. If you are interested in organising our 2013 conference, please send your expresion of interest by email to Borja Garcia by 20 December 2012.

Full applications forms will then be required, also by email to Borja Garcia no later than 20 February 2013.

Download the application form.

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The Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union (Sport&EU) invites the submission of paper and panel proposals to be considered for the 8th annual conference entitled “Sport in times of crisis: Challenges and opportunities”.  The conference is hosted by Kadir Has University in Istanbul (Turkey) between 27th and 28th June 2013. With most European countries suffering one of the deepest social and economic crisis of the modern era, which also extends beyond the borders of Europe, Sport&EU sets to explore in Istanbul the consequences of these times of turbulence for sport’s many dimensions.
The organisers would welcome panel and paper proposals that address one or more of the main thematic topics identified for the conference:

- Sport in times of economic and social crisis

- The organization of international sport events

- Corruption in sport / match fixing

- The new dynamics of EU sports policy under Article 165 TFEU

As it is tradition in Sport&EU, papers and panels with an interdisciplinary approach are encouraged, whilst graduate students and emerging scholars are also urged to submit works in progress. Panels and papers that do not fall within the main themes might also be considered, but preference is given to these topics.

In line with Sport&EU’s traditional policy of promoting gender equality, female academics and/or practitioners are specially encouraged to send their proposals, and papers with a focus on gender equity in sport, which will be also welcome.

For single paper proposals, send a 250 word abstract, together with a short biography and your contact details.

For panel proposals (maximum of 3 papers per panel) send (in a single document) a 250 word panel abstract, together with a 250 word abstract for each paper. Please also include a chair for the panel (if you cannot find a suitable chairperson we will allocate one) and a biographic note for each presenter.

All paper and panel proposals should clearly indicate which one of the thematic topics they address.

Proposals should be sent by email to the local organisers at conference@sportandeu.com.

The deadline for submissions is 25th January.

All papers submitted by this deadline will be peer reviewed with confirmation of successful applications provided by 27th February.

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Dr Geoff Pearson, a long standing member of the Association and a regular participant in our conference has published his latest book, entitled An Ethnography of English Football Fans: Cans, Cops and Carnivals (Manchester University Press). The book is an account of English football fans who travel home and away with their team. It utilises 16-year’s overt and covert participant observation carried out by the author at three clubs – the England national team, Manchester United and Blackpool. Pearson identifies a distinct sub-culture of supporter – the ‘carnival fan’ – who dominated the travelling support at the clubs observed and this accessible account follows these groups home and abroad, describing their interpretations, motivations and behaviour and challenging a number of the myths about fandom, ‘hooliganism’ and crowd management.

The book identifies that the primary motivation of these fan groups is the creation of a carnival – a period of transgression from the norms of everyday life based upon congregating in groups, alcohol consumption, humour and tomfoolery, and expressions of identity. In achieving these aims, the fan groups were frequently brought into conflict with the football authorities, police and ‘hooligan’ gangs and this account includes explanations of some of the most serious instances of crowd disorder involving English fans in the last two decades. The book also looks at issues such as attitudes to gender, sexuality and race, and the impact of technology and social media upon football fandom.

An Ethnography of English Football Fans will be of value to anyone studying or researching the behaviour of football fans or who is interested in ethnographic modes of enquiry more generally. It will be of particular value to anyone involved in the academic disciplines of policing, criminal justice, sociology, criminology, sports studies and research methods and to practitioners involved in the policing and management of sports crowds across Europe.

Sport&EU has secured a special offer for those members who might be interested in buying this book. To get 20% off the cost price of this book, use Discount Code: OTH311 (Expires 31/12/2012) by emailing your order to orders@nbninternational.com.

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The October 2012 issue of the Sport&EU Review has now been published. The contents of this issue include a wide variety of articles and contributions, including a research article on the factors that contribute to cheating in sports written, a commentary on legal protection of athletes from media attention, and several comments and columns on interesting and topical issues in European and global sport.

The Review can be downloaded free of charge following the link below.

Happy reading!

Download Sport&EU Review Volume 4, Issue, 2 October 2012.

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Kadir Has University will host the 2013 Sport&EU Conference

The Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union is proud to announce that our 8th Annual Conference will be organised by the Sport Studies Research Centre at Kadir Has University in Istanbul (Turkey). The conference is scheduled on 27-28 June 2013, which will coincide with the FIFA Under 20 World Cup, hosted by Turkey. This is the third time that Sport&EU travels outside the United Kingdom and it will be the second time that our annual conference is organised outside the European Union, in recognition to the interest that European sporting issues have beyond the physical borders of the EU. Moreover, this is the first time Sport&EU travels to a candidate country for accession and it is also the first time that Sport&EU reaches both the east and south of the continent. We hope that this conference opens new frontiers for the association and for the research on sport and the European Union.

This conference marks a commitment of Sport&EU to open our activities to new territories and to new members. By organising our annual conference in Turkey we hope to develop a genuine academic exchange between Europe’s east and west in the study of sport. We are convinced that the study of sport in these new territories has a lot to offer to Sport&EU and we are also committed to help, within our means, our Turkish academic colleagues in their endeavour to mainstream the study of sport and the European union within their regional academic communities.

As always, Sport&EU will welcome researchers, academics, PhD students and practitioners with an interest in sport and the EU to participate in our annual conference, which is now becoming one of the important dates in the conference circuit. Please reserve these dates in your diary, as we would like to see as many of you as possible in beautiful Istanbul. In due course, a call for papers and panels will be made public through the website, so please log in regularly to get the latest information about Sport&EU, our annual conference and all our events.

With the selection of Istanbul as host for our annual conference, we expect to attract significant practitioners and officials from public administration in neighbouring non-EU countries, to engage in meaningful debates on the impact that EU regulations is having in their sport systems despite not being EU Member States. Commenting on the decision to take the conference to the premises of Kadir Has University, Sport&EU honorary chair, Professor Richard Parrish commented: ‘Sport&EU is thrilled to be taking our 8th annual conference to Istanbul in 2013. The decision reflects our commitment to continue to internationalise the association, particularly beyond the boundaries of the European Union. Delegates will be attracted to Istanbul, not only by the expertise and professionalism of our hosts, but also by the charm and beauty of the city in which the conference will take place. Join us in Istanbul in 2013!’

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The Association for the Study of Sport and the European Union (Sport&EU) are extremely please to announce that  for the first time, the annual Sport&EU conference will be streamed live online. Please follow this link to access the conference sessions.

You can also consult the conference schedule in this link. All times in the schedule are Central European Time (CET). We will stream the pre-conference on Wednesday 20th June, as well as all the academic sessions and keynote addressess on 21-22 June 2012.

We would like to thank the local organisers, the Swiss School of Public Administration, for providing the technology to make this possible.

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