Sport Stars In Minor Sports: Athlete’s Testimony
Vol.8,No.2(2014)
The article presents initial, partial outcome of the research focused on analysis of sport star placement in a minor top-level sport of swimming. The study is theoretically grounded in concepts of Pierre Bourdieu (social field and political philosophy of sport) and Howard S. Becker (art worlds). It follows other studies dealing with roles of popular personalities – celebrities or stars – in sports or broader society and examines possibilities of application of the star concept in the sub-field of non-medialised sport. Using the results of interviews with competitive swimmers, the article describes specific ways of construction of sport stars in view of athletes themselves. Two dimensions are identified: objective (sport club environment and family) and subjective one (personality traits). Concerning the position of stars in sport sub-fields it adds, that so far as the stars fulfil the notion of their fellow swimmers they are seen as bearers of authentic sport ideally with a high symbolical capital. Otherwise, they are criticised by the others or even rejected.
minor sport; swimming; social field; sport stars; authenticity
105–113
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