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Sport is a setting where people learn and navigate ideals and norms related to the body and its impact on performance. These bodily ideals and norms are intrinsically linked to notions and stereotypes of gender (see, e.g., Giazitzoglu, 2024). Due to prevailing rules and traditions, most sports categorize athletes as either ‘female’ or ‘male’, implying that each sport involves staging a gendered body in relation to explicit rules or implicit norms.

Coaches play a crucial role in shaping and maintaining these bodily ideals and norms (e.g., Limstrand et al., 2024). As gatekeepers in elite athletes’ careers (Skrubbeltrang et al., 2021), their perceptions of what constitutes an optimal gendered body—in terms of weight, shape, and size—are highly influential. For example, research has shown that coaches have excluded athletes based on body shape and demanded extreme weight loss, arguing that it would enhance performance (Boudreault et al., 2022; McMahon, McGannon, & Palmer, 2022; Willson & Kerr, 2022). Such practices risk leading to body shaming, which can be counterproductive (Varea et al., 2024).

The literature on perceptions of athletes’ bodies has largely focused on women’s sports (e.g., Barker-Ruchti et al., 2017; McMahon, McGannon, & Palmer, 2022). It is often assumed that boys and men enjoy a broader range of accepted appearances and behaviours, given sport’s historical roots in masculinity. However, research on masculinity in sport has primarily emphasized masculine traits, rather than the masculine body and embodiment itself (Fasczewski et al., 2022; Wellard, 2009). It is therefore important to gain a deeper understanding of how masculine bodies are represented and regulated in sport. Raising awareness among key stakeholders such as coaches and club management can help to reduce the reproduction of gendered inequalities, harmful stereotypes, and counterproductive coaching practices, paving the way for more inclusive and sustainable athlete performance management.

This study aims to provide in-depth knowledge about how athletes are positioned as masculine gendered beings in elite sport, specifically in relation to norms surrounding the masculine body. Two research questions guide the study: To be positioned as a masculine gendered being in elite sport, (1) what is a body supposed to look like, and (2) how are athletes expected to relate to their bodies?

Focusing on the central role of the coach, we interviewed 12 Swedish youth elite coaches across 9 different sports about the role of body weight, shape, and size in their disciplines. Drawing on the concept of hegemonic masculinity (Connell, 2005), we use the notion of ‘imaginary positions’ (Wetherell & Edley, 1999) as our analytical lens, understood as different socially constructed ways of being a man. Exploring these positions empirically involves mapping patterns of ‘practical ideologies’ described by coaches and examining how these ideologies create conditions for what is (im)possible in sport.

We found that male athletes primarily navigate the following positions: The Performing Athlete, The Fit Athlete, The Ironic Athlete, The Social Athlete, and The Self-Regulated Athlete. Among these, the performing athlete and the fit athlete show the greatest potential for conflict, as conventional ideals of a fit physique do not always align with the demands of peak performance. While performance remains the central focus in elite sport, fully inhabiting the performing athlete position may require resisting the widely celebrated fit ideal.

Looking more broadly at the practical ideologies underlying these five positions, we recognize that they largely reinforce one another. This mutual reinforcement constrains the space male athletes have to define and embody their identities. In short, elite sport is not for every body. Exceptionally talented athletes may transcend these constraints, but meaningful change requires more than individual resistance - it calls for structural and cultural transformation (cf. Pederson et al., 2014).

Although elite sport is, by nature, selective, its exclusivity does not have to reinforce gendered inequalities. A critical rethinking of body ideals is essential for expanding opportunities for both male and female athletes, enabling a sporting culture where performance, diversity, and inclusivity can coexist, and where athletes feel safe, seen, and supported.

This paper examines the professionalisation, mediatisation, and commodification of ski jumping, focusing on the careers of Matti Nykänen, Jan Boklöv, and Michael ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards. We explore how the underdog who transformed the sport and the outsider who captivated the media competed against one of history’s most accomplished ski jumpers. Furthermore, we analyse why figures like Boklöv and Edwards have not reemerged, concentrating on their significance in the Winter Olympics. Through qualitative interviews with former ski jumpers and coaches, we examine the negotiation between the logic of sport, driven by competition and winning, commodification, driven by economic maximisation, and mediatisation, driven by narrative dramatization. Findings suggest that while performance sets professional standards, media narratives can elevate unconventional figures like Eddie the Eagle, who gained fame despite his limited success. In contrast, successful athletes like Nykänen experienced negative media commodification. Boklöv’s innovative V-style, meanwhile, exemplifies how such innovations can reshape the sport. Finally, we highlight the paradoxes of professionalisation and thus reveal that commercialisation and mediatisation are not necessarily tied to sporting success but remain crucial in defining public narratives. 

Sport promotes enjoyment, social interaction, embodied learning, and health. At the same time, it serves as a setting where people learn and navigate certain ideals and norms. Given the physical nature of sport, body norms and their impact on performance are particularly central. These body norms are intrinsically linked to gender norms. Most sports follow a binary structure, categorizing athletes as male or female, shaping expectations of how bodies should look and perform. Coaches play a key role in reinforcing these norms. For example, they have been shown to encourage weight-controlling behaviors and demand extreme weight loss, arguing that it enhances performance. Research on the athlete’s body and its role in body-critical coaching practices has primarily focused on women’s sports. This study aims to provide in-depth knowledge about the positioning of elite athletes as masculine-gendered beings in sports in relation to norms surrounding the masculine body.

Building on the importance of the coach, 12 Swedish elite coaches from 9 different sports were interviewed about the role of body weight, shape, and size in their respective sports. Imaginary positions were used as a lens to map and understand norms of the masculine sporting body. Exploring imaginary positions empirically involves analyzing patterns of what are known as practical ideologies—described in this case by sports coaches—and how these ideologies shape what is considered possible or impossible in sport.

Elite athletes construct themselves as masculine-gendered beings by navigating five imagined positions: the performing athlete, the fit athlete, the ironic athlete, the social athlete, and the self-regulated athlete. The greatest tension arises between the performing and fit athlete positions, as societal ideals of fitness can conflict with the demands of peak performance. However, in general, these positions largely reinforce one another. Athletes are expected to see their bodies as tools to calibrate, maintaining a detached and carefree attitude. This detachment is expressed through irony, joking about their own and others’ bodies, and being social. Athletes who are introverted or sensitive about their bodies face barriers. Some exceptionally skilled athletes may bypass certain expectations, but few can resist hegemonic masculinities. Interestingly, female athletes, perceived as more sensitive, may challenge norms and influence body ideals in sport.

The findings present an argument for sport organisations to reconsider the traditional practice of organizing training along gendered lines. While such an approach is more feasible in individual sports, we encourage team sports to explore opportunities for mixed-gender training sessions as well.

Nevertheless, working with mixed-gender groups alone is insufficient. To effectively challenge gendered stereotypes, coaching practices must adopt what Pederson and colleagues (2015) term a “gender-transformative” approach, which involves actively reshaping harmful gender roles and relations. While our study does not provide concrete examples of such practices, we aim to encourage coaches and other key stakeholders to critically engage with gender issues related to the masculine sporting body.

The emergence of digitized sports cultures has been characterized by complex and non-linear gender relations and power dynamics. For the most part, research on this topic has been conducted and analysed from a one-dimensional perspective that homogenizes the realities and experiences of women and men, and positions gender as the single most significant marker of social inequality. Consequently, this scholarship has been limited in its exploration of how different social conditions lead to diverse experiences of privilege and othering among women, men, and non-binary people operating in digitized sporting spaces. The purpose of this chapter is to advocate for the value of examining digitized sports cultures through an intersectional lens. We first exemplify where intersectional perspectives have been applied and the insights they contribute. We then discuss how intersectional theory could be further applied to extend knowledge and insight into the complex reality of gender inclusion in digitized sports spaces.

This study explores the Swedish Sports Confederation’s (RF) response to the COVID-19 pandemic, offering actionable insights into crisis management strategies. RF reshaped priorities and practices across the Swedish sports ecosystem by introducing a new institutional logic centred on infection control and emphasising the health-promotive role of sports. Using semi-structured interviews with 13 governing representatives, the research highlights RF’s initial decisions, adaptive strategies and the challenges of managing an unprecedented crisis. The pandemic caused significant disruptions, including activity declines and volunteer losses, yet also intensified conflicts and communication within the Swedish sports movement. RF demonstrated resilience and adaptability, employing infodemic management to balance public health mandates with organisational cohesion. This study underscores the importance of strategic internal and external negotiations in navigating complex crises, revealing how RF safeguarded societal interests while prioritising members’ well-being and setting a precedent for future crisis preparedness. 

Research questions How is the 'problem' of gender equity described, perceived and experienced by female and male board members in Swedish sport today? What key dilemmas can be identified in the realisation of a gender equitable sport management? Research methods The article builds on research conducted on three Swedish ball sport federations during 2020-2021 and is based on a total number of 27 (12 males, 15 females) structured interviews with top leaders. The methodology employs Fraser's concept of gender justice and the need to pay attention to cultural and economic dimensions in transformative interventions. Results and Findings Three dilemmas relating to the realisation of gender equity are analysed: between quotas and stigmatisation, overcoming gender equity as a side-project and how the democratic infrastructure of Swedish sport enables men's continued dominance. The findings indicate that one-dimensional (affirmative) interventions dominate, which in turn explain why achieving gender equity in Swedish sport is difficult, i.e. cultural interventions only limit the chances of achieving gender equity. Implications To implement transformative interventions, cultural and economic resources need to be equally recognised and redistributed so that the organisations' gender order is deconstructed and participation on equally recognised terms secured.

This article examines Swedish men’s ice hockey in the border-land between amateur and professional sports from 1965 to 1975. In brief, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association strived for greater breadth and increased professionalism, which resulted in different initiatives. Inspiration for training programs came mainly from the East (Soviet ice hockey), while more commercial innovations came from the West (professional leagues in North America). In short, preserving Swedish ice hockey’s integrity influenced all decisions. Measures were taken to maintain and possibly increa-se the popularity of domestic ice hockey. But when the amateur model had reached its full potential, professional players were ac-cepted. The negotiations regarding the existence of and attitudes towards amateurism are here interpreted in terms of maintaining or resisting the dominant hegemony.

I denna artikel undersöks svensk herrishockey i gränslandet mellan vad som kallades amatör- och yrkesidrott. Tidsmässigt behandlas tiden runt 1967, cirka 1965 till 1975, och perspektivet är framförallt organisatoriskt med tidskriften Hockey som källmaterial. Som tolkningsredskap och analytiskt ramverk används begreppet hegemoni där de kulturella och ekonomiska dimensionerna i detta fall är centrala. I korthet strävade förbundet efter ökad bredd och ökad professionalitet vilket resulterade i flertalet olika satsningar varav långt ifrån alla föll väl ut. Inspiration hämtades både från öster (Sovjetunionens ishockey) medan mer kommersiella innovationer hämtades från väst. Värnandet om den egna ishockeyn genomsyrade dock alla beslut och den viktigaste förändringen är att proffsen så småningom accepterades eftersom amatörmodellens kapacitet ansågs ha nått sitt maximum. Förändringar gjordes för att bibehålla och eventuellt öka ishockeyns kulturella popularitet, vilket utgjorde grunden för dess hegemoniska innehåll och förändringar.

The tradition of Swedish ice hockey as a masculine-dominated territory that encourages characteristics like roughness, aggressiveness, and to some extent violence has been hotly debated. Using historical articles from the Swedish Hockey magazine, and with a perspective combining hegemony with the social-ecological model of violence prevention, this study develops an interpretation of how masculinity traits and violence in Swedish ice hockey interconnect. The historical case provides findings for this interconnection, with meanings of masculinity and a competitive commitment as permeating threads. Triggered by individuals, but also connected to coaches' encouragements, organizations' endeavours, societal, and financial forces, the negotiations around playing styles and allowance levels have been permeated by ideals of masculinity; ideals that enforce the current hegemonic gender order. Ultimately, the article contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of sport violence as an issue that not only impacts or can be utilized by sport organizations and players/practitioners but also its broader societal implications.

In the beginning of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic broke out. The crisis preparedness of Swedish society and the Swedish sports movement was put to the test in an unprecedented manner. It was a crisis for which no one was prepared but it required immediate and decisive actions. Physical events and gatherings ceased or were prohibited and, if possible, replaced by virtual alternatives. All individuals and organisations were forced to adapt to a new reality. However, as in all crises, in this new situation there were both dangers and opportunities.The global and historically significant nature of the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the leadership within the Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet; RF) to make swift decisions based on constantly changing circumstances. This report constitutes a qualitative study based on interviews with representatives who held leadership roles within the Swedish Sports Confederation during the pandemic. The aim is to contribute knowledge about the assumptions and strategic considerations made by these representatives during the pandemic — and the lessons that can be drawn from this today.In the report, the prioritisation of controlling the spread of the virus is interpreted as introducing a new institutional logic that shaped the entire sports movement for almost 2 years (2020–2022). We know the Swedish Sports Confederation and the sports movement ‘survived’. However, the consequences of the pandemic are still complex and extensive and will continue to impact the sports world well into the future.The results demonstrate how digitalisation significantly increased during the pandemic, and the connections and communication between the Swedish Sports Confederation, the RF-SISU districts, and the specialised sports federations improved and became more condensed. The interviews reveal reductions in activities and membership numbers and the loss of leaders, referees and volunteers who had supported sports organisations for many years. Certain sports and associations will take a long time to recover and achieve the same activity level as before the pandemic.The crisis was challenging for sports, but valuable lessons can be learned. Collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and resource utilisation are paramount in times of pandemic control and crisis. Loyal employees rallied and worked diligently to support and steer the Swedish sports movement through the crisis. For both individuals and organisations, this effort was sometimes literally about survival. RF had never practised handling a pandemic but demonstrated being well-prepared and possessing significant decisiveness and initiative. They were also able to assert influence and adapt to the new conditions through a willingness to collaborate and take responsibility. Effective communication facilitated the rapid conveyance and management of new guidelines. Many civil society organisations took significant responsibility during the pandemic, and according to the interviewees, the sports movement responded quickly and efficiently to government requirements and recommendations. By building on this knowledge, RF can better prepare for the next crisis and future challenges.

I början av 2020 bröt coronapandemin ut. På ett tidigare aldrig skådat sätt sattes det svenska samhällets och den svenska idrottsrörelsens krisberedskap på prov. Det var en kris som ingen var förberedd på men som krävde omedelbara och beslutsamma åtgärder. Människor och organisationer anpassade sig till en ny verklighet. Men som i alla kriser och faror innebar den nya situationen också möjligheter.Coronapandemin var världsomfattande och tvingade ledningen inom Riksidrottsförbundet (RF) till snabba beslut utifrån ständigt förändrade premisser. Denna rapport består av en kvalitativ studie baserad på intervjuer med företrädare som under pandemin hade ledande roller inom RF. Syftet är att bidra med kunskap om de antaganden och strategiska överväganden som gjordes av dessa företrädare under pandemin samt visa vilka lärdomar som kan göras av detta. Smittspridningsbekämpning som överordnad prioritet tolkas i rapporten som införandet av en ny institutionell logik, som kom att prägla hela idrottsrörelsen under nästan två år (2020–2022). Vi vet i dag att RF och idrottsrörelsen ”överlevde”. Men konsekvenserna av pandemin är fortfarande svåröverskådliga och omfattande och kommer att påverka idrottsvärlden långt in i framtiden. Resultaten visar hur digitaliseringen fick en ordentlig skjuts under pandemin och att kontakterna och kommunikationen mellan RF, RF-SISU distrikten och specialidrottsförbunden förbättrades och förtätades. I intervjuerna framkommer hur verksamhet och medlemsantal minskat och hur antalet ledare, domare och ideella krafter, som burit fram idrottsorganisationer i många år, har gått förlorade. Det kommer att ta lång tid för vissa idrotter och föreningar att återhämta sig och uppnå samma verksamhetsnivå som före pandemin. Krisen var och är fortfarande svår och utmanande för idrotten, men det går att dra värdefulla lärdomar. I tider av pandemibekämpning och kris framstår värdet av samarbete, kunskapsdelning och ömsesidigt resursutnyttjande som överordnad allt annat. Lojala medarbetare slöt upp och arbetade hårt och intensivt för att stödja och styra den svenska idrottsrörelsen genom krisen. För såväl individer som organisationer handlade detta arbete ibland bokstavligen om överlevnad. RF hade aldrig övat på att hantera en pandemi men visade sig trots det väl förberedda och ägde stor handlingskraft och initiativförmåga. Genom effektiv kommunikation kunde nya riktlinjer skyndsamt förmedlas och hanteras samtidigt som RF kunde kräva ett visst inflytande och en anpassning av de nya villkoren. Många civilsamhällesorganisationer tog ett betydande ansvar under pandemin och enligt intervjupersonerna svarade idrottsrörelsen snabbt och effektivt på myndigheternas krav och rekommendationer. Genom att bygga vidare på dessa lärdomar finns goda möjligheter att stå bättre rustad inför framtidens utmaningar.

The media’s portrayal of ice hockey and masculinity has often been viewed as a patriarchal domain reinforcing hyper-masculine traits. However, scholars argue that contemporary sports are becoming more inclusive, less misogynistic, and challenging traditional notions of masculinity. This chapter explores the practices of masculinity amongst ice hockey-playing men in Sweden using Instagram posts. The data includes images and comments, and the methods combine visual and textual content analysis. The study applies the theoretical concepts of hybridity/elasticity and hegemony to analyze the data. While ice hockey has been associated with so-called traditional masculinity, the chapter identifies various traits of masculinity portrayed by ice hockey-playing men. These include the sexualizing of ice hockey men, who are often expected to be sexually driven subjects, and homophobic and misogynistic expressions, which can together take different and sometimes contradictory forms. The discussion highlights Instagram’s potential to portray ice hockey-playing men and masculinities as progressive or ‘new’, but also as conservative and ‘old.’