Sport occupies an important position in the cultural profile of a nation. This study is a comparative guide to sport across Europe, in terms of its relative political and social value, 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:
-- brief historical background: major sports successes, Olympic positions, sporting traditions
-- organization 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
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.
