European Cultures in Sport

Sport occupies a key position in the cultural profile of a nation. This study forms a comparative guide to sport across Europe, in terms of its relative political and social status, its development, and the ways in which it has contributed to national achievement. Covering sport in ten major European states, each native contributor to the study presents : A brief historical background:major sports successes, Olympic positions and sporting traditions; Organisation of sport: its structure and financing; Elite sport:how talent is spotted, nurtured and remunerated,sports academies,national qualification schemes; The role of science and medicine in sport; Summary and conclusions.

Following this format through each chapter, the book serves as a valuable guide to students of Sports Studies, enabling comparison of sport across culturally diverse regions of Europe: Germany,Russia,UK,Spain,Denmark,France,Italy,Belgium,Lithuania and Slovenia.

James Riordan is Professor of Russian and Head of the Department of Linguistic and International Studies at the University of Surrey. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts.