That Was The Week That Was,
November 9–15, 2026

November 16, 2026

Dear all,

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, LinkedIn and X, you’re missing quite a lot of information from idrottsforum.org that never appears on the website; this week no less than 33 updates on each, the same on all three. So, if that is the case, check out, by clicking on the names, our Facebook, LinkedIn and X accounts.

Have a great week,
Kjell Eriksson
Editor

Research Article

Key Features of the Youth Sport Environment: A Scoping Review

This peer review article by Line Maj Sternberg, Kristoffer Henriksen & Louise Kamuk Storm summarizes the state of the art of research on youth sport environments, proposes a definition of quality youth sport environments (QYSE), and synthesizes current knowledge about the essential features that constitute such settings. We propose the understanding of a QYSE as one that promotes the youth athletes’ athletic and personal development, their long-term participation and motivation, and their wellbeing. It is a complex, adaptive system, where social and structural factors work in concert to meet the developmental needs of 12–16-year-olds. While the literature allows us to cautiously suggest features of QYSE, this area of research is limited, highlighting the need for further studies.(Published in Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum, Vol. 17, 261109.)

Feature Article

From Water Competence to Pedagogical Practice: A Colour-Coded Model for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

In this article, Egil Galaaen Gjølme introduces a colour-coded pedagogical model designed to enhance the planning, delivery, and assessment of swimming and lifesaving education. Addressing the challenge of translating multifaceted water competence into instruction, the framework synthesizes material from Water Safety Auckland alongside theoretical insights from Moran (2013), Stallman et al. (2017), Newell (1986), and Szpilman et al. (2014). Gjølme organizes competence into three interdependent domains: green (Water Smarts) for knowledge and judgement, yellow (Water Skills) for practical abilities, and red (Helping Others) for safe rescue. Connecting practice with reflection, this integrated tool clarifies objectives, though its educational and drowning-prevention impacts require empirical investigation. (Published in English 261112.)

Book Reviews

The Legacy of Muscular Christianity in American Culture

Muscular Christianity I practice: Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) gymnasium, Longacre, London, wood engraving, c. 1888. Opened by the prince of Wales on June 16, 1888. (Wikimedia)

Muscular Christianity is a term applied to a religious movement that originated in England in the mid-19th century, with an approach to life and social outreach which emphasizes the benefits of sport and other physical exercise to personal wellbeing, and as a healthy expression of masculinity. In Erecting the Pulpit: Muscular Christianity from Teddy Roosevelt to Donald Trump (Bloomsbury), Amy Laura Hall tours the US looking for contemporary manifestations of Muscular Christianity, and according to our reviewer Brian Hillman they are found in religion rather than sports; however, Hall’s Gonzo journalism makes for a highly readable account of her mission. (Review in English, published 261110.)

Rethinking the Olympic Games hosting. Insights from Brisbane 2032

In his new book Olympic Outliers: Brisbane 2032 and the Future of the Olympic Games (Routledge), sport journalism scholar Peter English examines the significance of the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics, taking place in 2032, in the context of the history and future of the Olympic Movement and the fact that Brisbane is an outlier host. Our reviewer is Angela Stănescu, and she found the book thought-provoking, particularly in using the case of Brisbane to raise conversations around the impact of the Olympic Games for local communities. The Games, she opines, should be critically analyzed beyond the romanticized and idealized version usually presented. With this in mind she found the book significantly valuable. (Review in English, published 261111.)

New Blog Posts

LIV Golf 2.0: D.O.A., by David Rowe

Swedish golf pro Henrik Stenson was an early defector from the PGA Tour to the oil based riches of the Saudi LIV Tour. Here he watches his shot during the LIV Golf Tournament held at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ, August 13, 2023. (Shutterstock/L.E.MORMILE)

EXCERPT: Sport, especially at a global level, is deeply enmeshed in various forms of capitalism. But there is rather more to it than consumer manipulation and exploitation. In the absence of actual popular cultural pleasure, there would be little of value to sell. The extravagantly funded LIV Golf 1.0 has collapsed inside five years, and its attempted smaller-scale reboot as LIV Golf 2.0 failed to tee off. How did it come to this? The LIV Golf League was created in 2021 with the bold promise of a more exciting format attracting the world’s best male players (women figured little in the initiative) creating new generations of fans. Intended to “modernize and supercharge the wonderful world of golf”, its self-declared mission was “to build on and complement the existing format of professional golf and take it to new levels of excitement … to new places”. (Published in English 261109.)

Did Australia’s cricket leaders sandpaper over the truth? New ball tampering revelations suggest so, by David Rowe

In the 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal, Steve Smith (left) and David Warner (right) were banned by Cricket Australia for 12 months from international and domestic cricket while Cameron Bancroft (not shown) was banned for 9 months. (Photo: WikiWanderer261. CC BY-SA 4.0)

EXCERPT: When sandpaper comes to mind, it usually relates to a weekend trip to a suburban hardware store. Yet, the Australian men’s cricket team has somehow turned this humble home maintenance staple into a symbol of scandal. In a 2018 Test series against South Africa, captain Steve Smith and fellow batters David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were exposed for conspiring to tamper with the ball (using sandpaper to create an aerodynamic imbalance) during the third match in Cape Town. This so-called “Sandpapergate” led to a media storm and widespread condemnation, including by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The three players were suspended and fined. (Published in English 261111.)

Scholarly Journals

Since its inception 23 years ago, idrottsforum.org has been proudly presenting every new issue of almost all scholarly journals within the field of sport studies, widely defined. However, after carefully considering the whole situation – with increasing number of journals and number of issues per journal – we have decided to let go of the original ambition; it has become too time-consuming. Henceforth we will publish alerts about new journal issues on our social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn and X), and also special alerts when particularly interesting articles in scholarly journals are published online, giving priority to open access publications. The Scholarly Journals page will list all journals within the extended sport studies field for your information, and we will endeavor to update it with any new titles being launched.