That Was The Week That Was,
March 23–29, 2026

Dear all,

Spring is approaching, albeit slowly, and the Easter holiday is just around the corner. The editorial staff at idrottsforum.org is taking a well-earned (saying so ourselves) few days off, which means our esteemed readers also get some rest from our relentless presentations of sport studies-relevant news and views.

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

Elite and top referees in ice hockey: A study of young top referees’ experiences of factors that influence their development as referees

The purpose of this study by Christopher Dehn and Stig Arve Sæther was to investigate which factors young ice hockey referees at the elite level experience as influencing their development, and in particular the motivation for refereeing, the importance of experiential learning, and the importance of social networks. The study is based on six in-depth interviews with head referees in Norwegian ice hockey. The results indicate the importance of the social network of referees in a smaller sport where matches are frequent and with few resources to follow up on the referees’ development. (Published in Norwegian 260327; English abstract available.)

Book Reviews

It is time to apply a critical perspective on societal structures that form prerequisites for health and well-being

By exploring past, current, and future intersections between leisure and health, Exploring the Leisure–Health Nexus: Pushing Global Boundaries (CABI) considers research and academic thought to reveal and critique the nuanced ways that leisure impacts health as well as considering how health professions use leisure as a ‘tool’. We asked health educator and currently PhD researcher My Blomberg for a review. She finds the collected volume to make an original contribution to the leisure–health field, and especially appreciates its multidisciplinary approach to understanding the leisure–health nexus with a diverse population focus. (Review in English, published 260325.)

An important and innovative contribution to the evolving discourse of sport cinema

Neil Archer rethinks the discussion of sport as a cinematic subject in his new book Sport, Film, and the Modern World (Peter Lang Publishing). Arguing for the vitality of the sports film as distinctively ‘modern’ genre, the book looks at its innovative potential to capture twentieth- and twenty-first-century sport in all its complexity. Prominent sport film scholar Seán Crosson is our reviewer, and while not uncritical, he finds that Archer’s book overall offers an insightful analysis of recent work and an ultimately convincing central argument for the importance of sport cinema. (Review in English, published 260326.)

News items (calls for papers, vacancies, etc.)

• Utlysning | Stipendiatstilling [doktorandtjänst] på fagområdet lærerutdanning, vid Norges idrettshøgskole | Søknadsfrist 2026-04-06 (260323)
• Call for Papers | “Breaking the Silence: Gender Violence in Sports”, Special Issue of Social Sciences | Call ends June 30, 2026 (260325)
• Call for Papers | “Bridging the Gap: Twenty-five Years of SMQ”, Special Issue of Sport Marketing Quarterly” | Call ends October 1, 2026 (260325)
• PhD Opportunity @ Loughborough University | Towards Inclusive Leadership: Examining Leadership and Workforce Diversity in Global Sport, funded PhD Project (UK Students Only) | Apply no later than April 27, 2026 (260327)