Dr. Mahfoud Amara
Sometimes we mix up sport with leisure and games (in the sense of Laa’ib in Arabic). Sport does involve some leisure and games, which are important for youth and school sports to make them more enjoyable, especially with the rise of electronic sports. When children start engaging in sports and physical activities, it’s important to focus on games before moving on to competitive sports, which become more selective and suitable at later stages.
Sport, or modern sport, is a term we use to describe the organised and sophisticated form of physical activities that developed during Europe’s industrialisation, the technological revolution, and the effects of globalisation, post-world war, and the postcolonial world. Today, sport plays a significant role within the nation-state system.
It is governed by ministries, national committees and federations, and it is connected to an international network of sport governance, including the International Olympic Committee, international federations, TV networks, international brands and investors (public and private). There are various rules and regulations that govern sport, specific to each sport, as well as related to education, business, trade, security, safety, and criminal law, to name but a few.
Sport studies, which is a specialised field with its own degrees, academic communities, conferences, and scientific journals, can be found in universities worldwide. Universities and research centers study sport from various perspectives. Some focus on hard science perspectives to study movements for sports performance or rehabilitation, exploring the effects of exercise and physical activity on the body (and mental). Others delve into engineering and design, specifically in biomechanics and sport performance analysis.
Sport is also examined from a management and policy standpoint, including strategies for elite and community sports, as well as the management (business and financial viability) of sport events and facilities. Sociology of sport helps us understand social interactions and norms within and around sports. Additionally, politics plays a role in sport, with a small ‘p,’ addressing power dynamics within the sports system, agenda setting, and resource distribution, and with a capital ‘P,’ in relation to the formation of nation-states, international relations, and diplomacy.
Philosophy explores questions of fairness, justice and human rights in sports. Last and not least, studying the history of sport provides insights into narratives and memories of individuals, nations, and even continents. Examining sport in the Middle East and North Africa, for instance, uncovers the region’s history through the formation of sport clubs, the participation of nations in regional and international competitions, and their relationship with the international sport system. We can mention other sub-disciplines of sport studies such as sport media, adapted physical activity, sport psychology and the Olympic studies.
The aim of this essay is to illuminate the increasing significance of sport studies in today’s world, surpassing its traditional associations with leisure and entertainment. In countries like Qatar, the sport sector has been instrumental in the country’s development, mobilisation, and capacity-building across different sectors, such as commerce, finance, construction, security, retail, hospitality and transportation. These sectors working together were crucial in the successful organisation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the first mega sports event in the region.
By examining the region’s past and present political, economic, cultural and social contexts, we can gain valuable insights that have the potential to make a significant contribution to knowledge. This region remains relatively unexplored in the multidisciplinary field of sport studies and there is an ample opportunity to expand our understanding of its unique dynamics.
Dr. Mahfoud Amara is an Associate Professor in Sport Social Sciences and Management at Qatar University.
