Volume 6, Issue 1

The article makes use of the “theory of reflexive modernization” to describe and interpret aspects of high-performance sports today. With the help of this theory of modernization, aimed at understanding the general condition of our age, the text traces how the modernization of modem sports brought about unintended processes of self-transformation and self-endangerment in the sports system. The best example of the latter process is the problem of doping, which is currently one of the main issues calling the legitimacy of the sports system into question. Our thesis is: the problem of doping is caused in large part by the fact that sports in the “reflexive modern age” still cling to fundamental principles of the “simple modern age”, especially to its fictional concept of naturalness. In contrast to simplemodern strategies, we outline a reflexive-modern solution to the problem of doping, taking into particular consideration the problems of establishing threshold values and of genetic doping.

This paper reports on the perspectives of elite athletes on anti-doping work in general and on the whereabouts system in particular, and uses a figurational perspective to explore the unintended consequences of the planned introduction of the whereabouts system. A cross-sectional survey of all the athletes in the Norwegian registered testing pool (n = 236, response rate = 80.8%) was carried out in 2006, using a structured questionnaire. Overall, 70.6% of the athletes agreed that doping was a problem in elite sport in general, but paradoxically only 17.5% agreed that doping was a problem in their own sport. However, more than four in ten (43%) of the athletes agreed that the whereabouts information system made a contribution to a “cleaner” sport. Some athletes thought the system was unfair. The whereabouts information system had, despite all good intentions, outcomes other than those planned and intended by the WADA. Thus, athletes’ views might fruitfully be integrated with other perspectives when anti-doping work is developed further. Zusammenfassung Der Artikel beleuchtet die Perspektive der Athleten im Hinblick auf die Anti-Doping-Bestimmungen und das Meldesystem. Auf der Basis figurationssoziologischer Überlegungen werden die unbeabsichtigten Konsequenzen der geplanten Einführung des Meldesystems untersucht. Im norwegischen „Registered Testing Pool“ (n = 236, Rücklaufquote = 80,8%) wurde 2006 anhand eines strukturierten Fragebogens eine Querschnittsumfrage unter Athleten durchgeführt. Insgesamt 70,6% der Athleten stimmten zu, dass Doping ein generelles Problem im Spitzensport sei, aber nur 17,5% gaben an, dass Doping ein Problem in ihrem eigenen Sport sei. 43 % der Athleten stimmten zu, dass das Meldesystem einen Beitrag zu einem „saubereren“ Sport leiste. Ein wichtiges Resultat ist, dass das Meldesystem - trotz guter Absichten - zu anderen Ergebnissen führte als durch die WADA geplant und beabsichtigt. Es könnte deshalb sinnvoll sein, in der Weiterentwicklung von Anti-Doping-Maßnahmen die Perspektiven der Athleten mit zu berücksichtigen.

Besides half time talk player substitutions are the only possibility for a coach to exert influence on strategy and tactic of his team. Since the number of possible player substitutions is limited these substitutions are of utmost importance. This article therefore displays reasons for player substitutions and shows by means of data from the first German soccer league that amongst others the current score has an effect on time and kind of the substitutions. In addition the data demonstrate that the results of previous games in a season also have an influence on player substitutions.