Dear all,
Here we go again! And now, a few words about the weather – it’s pretty darn cold for Malmö! And there’s just a very thin layer of snow. But it’s been goring on for a while, which is also unlike this part of Sweden. Anyway, I learned today that when Denmark colonized Greenland there wasn’t a United States of America in existence. Otherwise they probably would have beaten the Danes to it. Didn’t happen, though. So there.
Here we go again! And now, a few words about the weather – it’s pretty darn cold for Malmö! And there’s just a very thin layer of snow. But it’s been goring on for a while, which is also unlike this part of Sweden. Anyway, I learned today that when Denmark colonized Greenland there wasn’t a United States of America in existence. Otherwise they probably would have beaten the Danes to it. Didn’t happen, though. So there.Last week the following items were published on idrottsforum.org (see below; language and publication dates, YYMMDD, in brackets). Click on the red headings to go to content. Utilize the Google Translate service to turn Scandinavian language pages into (some sort of) English.
And remember, if you’re not already hooked up to one of the social media outlets that we utilize, for now they are Facebook, Bluesky, LinkedIn and X, you’re missing quite a lot of information from idrottsforum.org that never appears on the website. So, if that is the case, check out, by clicking on the names, our Facebook, Bluesky, LinkedIn and X accounts.
Have a great week,
Kjell Eriksson
Editor
Research Article
Leadership in Elite Football: A Case Study of Leadership Characteristics in a Men’s Football National Team
This peer review article by Sakari Holopainen, Mihaly Szerovay, Niilo Konttinen and Marja Kokkonen explores the types of leadership characteristics found in a men’s national football team. The research question was: What leadership characteristics describe a men’s national football team? Our data comprised 182 pages of transcripts of interviews with five coaches and two players from a men’s national team. The team’s leadership structure was characterized by the coaching staff and players having clear roles while leaving space for informal leaders to emerge as needed. (Published in English 260126.
Book Reviews
Right policy, right place, right time? The contingency of successful implementation
Implementing Sport Policy: Organisational Perspectives on the UK Sport System, edited by Marc Keech, Iain Lindsey and John Hayton (Routledge) critically examines the roles and contributions of different organisations in the implementation of sport policy in the UK. Our highly qualified reviewer is Dr. Richard Tacon, Birkbeck Business School. Although the book is quite light on theory and heavy on history, he finds the collection a very enjoyable read, with a host of engaged experts who bring you close to the action. (Review in English, published 260127.)
Walk, Don’t Run
For several decades following the end of the Civil War, the most popular sport in the United States was walking, by newspapers often noted as “pedestrian mania” or “walking fever” that only began to give way in the mid-1880s to fast-rising crazes for baseball, bicycling, and roller skating. Lyell D. Henry Jr. tells this story in Trekking across America: An Up-Close Look at a Once-Popular Pastime (University of Iowa Press). Duncan Jamieson greatly enjoyed reading the book, and concludes his review saying that it “is a must read for anyone interested in adventure”. (Review in English, published 260128.)
New Blog Post
HYROX: CrossFit’s Less Complicated and More Approachable Cousin?, by Leah Monsees
You’ve heard about middle-aged, White, affluent men joining CrossFit gyms. You saw them buying padel rackets. And if you’re my age — 32 — you definitely know one person who just signed up for their first marathon despite actively hating running. Bonus points if you’re reeeeally, really deep down the rabbit hole, and know someone training for an Ironman (usually the same guy who just signed up for his first marathon). But no. It doesn’t stop there. Because a new (rock) star has entered the arena *drumroll*: HYROX. Fitness for “hybrid rockstars”. (Did you cringe? I did!) Now, don’t get me wrong… (Published in English 260127.)
New Issues of Scholarly Journals
Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum, Volume 16, 2025 | Open Access Journal (260126)- The Physical Educator, Vol. 82, 2025, No. 5 (260127)
- Journal of Sport & Tourism, Volume 29, 2025, Issue 3 (260129)
- Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, Volume 25, 2025, Issue 4 (260129)
- Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, Volume 19, 2025, Issue 4 (260201)
- European Sport Management Quarterly, Volume 25, 2025, Issue 6 (260201)
Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum, Volume 16, 2025 | Open Access Journal (260126)News items (calls for papers, vacancies, etc.)
- Vacancy | PhD Fellowship in Communication and Leadership: Leadership, Voice, and Communication in Equestrian Sport | Apply no later than March 2, 2026 (260129)
