Sport is everywhere and affects everyone. The TV schedules are packed with sports of every description, whether it is cycling, tennis, skiing, motor racing, cricket, and not forgetting the biggest of them all – football of course  (or soccer to some).

Sport is said to embody the loftiest of ideals – think of the Olympic slogan of Faster – Higher – Stronger. Sport is claimed to teach respect for an opponent, fair play and nurture team spirit and leadership qualities.

Sport is a multi-billion pound industry that reaches across the globe with international events such as the World Cup and Olympic Games beamed through mobile phones, tablets, televisions and radios into the homes and communities of billions of our fellow world citizens. A big sport event can literally bring whole counties to a standstill as people gather to watch their team compete and seek glory.

Sport is all these things and more, but there is a dark side to sport that often prevents it from reaching the ideals it sets itself – think of discrimination, corruption, doping, cheating and match-fixing for example.

Sport can also reinforce gender norms with women’s sport often playing second fiddle to the men’s game in many sports, including football, rugby and cricket, although this is gradually improving.

Sport has often been accused of racism, sexism and homophobia and as being a bastion of male heterosexual privilege.

Sport is many things – good, bad and indifferent. In truth sport is what we make it. If it falls short of our ideals it is because we have made it that way. If sport  reaches out and enables people, young and old, gay and straight, to take part and compete fiercely yet fairly, then it is because we chosen to make it that way instead.

How can we help?

We have extensive experience in working with professional sports organisations in the following fields:

Player education: Most players will need a second career once their playing days come to an end. We can advise on the options and signpost players to education and training providers, making sure that their needs as athletes are catered for.

Inclusion and anti-discrimination: ‘Sport for all’ must be more than a slogan – it must become a reality. We can help to make sure that your club or other sports organisation is fully inclusive and welcoming to people from all backgrounds.

Match-fixing: Is you sport vulnerable to match-fixing or do you just want to make sure you have the best policies, education and awareness programmes to make sure that it does not become a problem? Armed with the latest research we can help your sport stay clean from this threat to its integrity.

Management education: We can help to make sure your people have the best in education to drive your organisation into the future.

Examples of our work

• Comprehensive research into discrimination and inclusion in sport for a leading research university.
• Organisation of major sports business seminars with leading industry figures.
• Research into match-fixing in European football resulting in a Good Practice Guide to prevent corruption.
• Executive education programme for a global football organisation.

Get in Touch

Call us now on +44 (0) 7939 652029 to discuss your requirements, or use the contact form on this web site.