Impact on Sport Mega-Events (Journal Article- 10mins)
Citation: Giulianotti, R and Armstrong, G and Hales, G and Hobbs, D (2015) Sport Mega-Events and Public Opposition: A Sociological Study of the London 2012 Olympics. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 39 (2). pp. 99-119. DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723514530565
Abstract: The article examines opposition to the London Olympics, highlighting concerns about negative effects on low-income communities and changes to their identities under Festival Capitalism. The article explores how these factors tend to overshadow Olympic ideals, with some describing the event as a 'projection of corporate power' and a 'monopoly of capitalism' (p.12).
Other Topics Include : social movements, environmental impact, ‘glocal’ protesting, and redistribution of resources.
License: CC-BY-NC
Elite Athletes’ Off-Sports Activities (Journal - 30mins)
Citation: Postema, A., van Mierlo, H., & Bakker, A. B. (2025). Elite Athletes’ Off-Sports Activities: A Qualitative Exploration of Spillover to the Sports Domain. The Spanish Journal of Psychology 28, e25, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/SJP.2025.10015
Abstract: The article explores how athletes’ leisure activities outside their sport can affect their performance. Researchers use the concept of ‘Spillover’—the way emotions, thoughts, or behaviors from one part of life influence another—to determine whether certain off-sport activities Enrich or Interfere with sporting outcomes. Spending time with non-sport friends and having non-sport conversations, for example, were seen as improving performance by allowing athletes to relax and recover from competition. However, over-engagement in these activities was shown to interfere with sport outcomes, by draining energy and focus, leading to underperformance. Enriching experiences offer meaningful distraction (i.e., studies, coursework, personal learning), that reduces worry and stress from competition.
License: This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Childhood Physical Activity Beginning at 10 years old (Journal - 5mins)
Citation: Lee Smith, Benjamin Gardner, Daniel Aggio, Mark Hamer. 2015. Association between participation in outdoor play and sport at 10 years old with physical activity in adulthood. Preventive Medicine, 74, pp. 31-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.02.004
Abstract: A longitudinal study spanning 32 years found that children who engaged in sports or outdoor activities from the age of 10 were more likely to remain physically active into adulthood. Notably, the research highlighted that children whose fathers had routine or manual occupations were less likely to participate in physical activity. The findings suggest that early exposure may foster a lasting preference for physical activity, with examples including the development of motor skills in childhood and the subsequent encouragement of active lifestyles as individuals mature.
License: This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).