Evolving Athletic Events
Ordinary Women in Bikini Bodybuilding: Everyday Experiences of Competitors from Five Countries View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nina Michalikova
This paper is based on my new book that will be published in November 2023 by Lexington Books. The goal of the book is to examine everyday experiences of ordinary women who became bikini competitors. Despite the increasing popularity of the bikini division of drug-free female bodybuilding in the past two decades, prior research examined this category only marginally. The majority of existing studies are non-academic and non-sociological. Unlike prior academic research, this study challenges the prevalent perception that the lifestyles of bikini competitors are restrictive, unhealthy, and deviant. Not all female athletes follow drastic measures to achieve the desired physique. The study uniquely frames bikini fitness as an empowering and positive experience--not as deviant behavior that has negative health consequences. By highlighting positive aspects of bikini fitness, the study challenges prevalent stereotypes about female bikini competitors who are often portrayed as hyper-sexualized women with unhealthy lifestyles. The study offers a chronological account of competition preparation in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In an autoethnographic overview of the author’s experiences beginning with the transformation stage to the competitive stage, the book examines the challenges faced by the author in her personal life, social life, professional life, as well as in her finances and health, and the strategies used to cope with these challenges. Life stories from an autoethnographic lens are supplemented by in-depth qualitative interviews with bikini competitors to provide a detailed account of events, obstacles, and experiences.
Athletes, not Patients: Paralympian Intermediate Activism to De-medicalize Paralympic Sport View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Evan Baughman
The Paralympic movement was founded upon the notion that disability sport is a form of rehabilitative medical treatment for disabled people. However, scholars note that disability sport became less therapeutic and more athletic over time. I call attention to the overlooked role that Paralympians, i.e. Paralympic athletes, played as “intermediate activists” (Briscoe and Gupta 2016) in shifting Paralympic institutional logic from a “rehabilitative sport-logic” to a “sport logic” (Gerard et al. 2017). Using interview data collected from retired Paralympians and secondary historical sources, I evidence the importance of micro-level processes within the Paralympics that underlie the institution’s shift in logic, particularly during the 1980’s. I claim that Paralympians acted as intermediate activists by advancing the athletic standards of disability sport. Additionally, I describe how the Paralympics’ rehabilitative sport-logic constrained Paralympians’ abilities to innovate and raise the athletic standards of disability sport.
Unveiling Authenticity: Navigating Self-expression and Socially Constructed Authenticity Among Elite Para-Athletes
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Yusuf Hassan
On August 26th, 2016, American football player Colin Kaepernick made a bold statement by kneeling during the national anthem before a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. Explaining this unconventional act, Kaepernick conveyed to journalists, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way." Kaepernick's statement serves as a compelling example of authentic self-expression in a public space. However, the scarcity of such authentic behavior prompts a reflection on its broader significance and importance. This study delves into the exploration of self-expression and socially constructed authentic behavior among elite para-athletes. In doing so, it examines how the narratives of elite para-athletes reflect their visions of becoming champions, encompassing resonant, enraged, or vulnerable dimensions. Our investigation into the intricacies of para-athletes' lives reveals a rich tapestry of narratives marked by a myriad of emotions, including suffering, indignity, fortitude, affection, setbacks, and triumphs, among other elements. The existence of a para-athlete is characterized by a diverse range of experiences exclusive to the realm of sports. Within the stories we explore, we observe both similarities and distinctions in the narratives of para-athletes, which can be organized into three major themes: enraged champions, vulnerable champions, and resonant champions.
