Perspectives of the Sport-Oriented Public in Slovenia on Extreme Sports
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Rauter, S. and Doupona Topič, M.: PERSPECTIVES OF THE SPORT-ORIENTED ... Kinesiology 43(2011) 1:82-90 PERSPECTIVES OF THE SPORT-ORIENTED PUBLIC IN SLOVENIA ON EXTREME SPORTS Samo Rauter and Mojca Doupona Topič University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Sport, Ljubljana, Slovenia Original scientific paper UDC 796.61(035) (497.4) Abstract: The purpose of the research was to determine the perspectives of the sport-oriented people regarding the participation of a continuously increasing number of athletes in extreme sports. At the forefront, there is the recognition of the reasons why people actively participate in extreme sports. We were also interested in the popularity of individual sports and in people‘s attitudes regarding the dangers and demands of these types of sports. The research was based on a statistical sample of 1,478 sport-oriented people in Slovenia, who completed an online questionnaire. The results showed that people were very familiar with individual extreme sports, especially the ultra-endurance types of sports. The people who participated in the survey stated that the most dangerous types of sports were: extreme skiing, downhill mountain biking and mountaineering, whilst the most demanding were: Ironman, ultracycling, and ultrarunning. The results have shown a wider popularity of extreme sports amongst men and (particularly among the people participating in the survey) those who themselves prefer to do these types of sports the most. Regarding the younger people involved in the survey, they typically preferred the more dangerous sports as well, whilst the older ones liked the demanding sports more. People consider that the key reasons for the extreme athletes to participate in extreme sports were entertainment, relaxation and the attractiveness of these types of sports. Key words: sports activity, risk sports, attitude Introduction The modern way of living and contemporary between the media and extreme sports is crucial sports trends confirm that more and more people in this matter. Doubt arises with regard to the actively participate in extreme, adventurous acti- completely independent origin of extreme sports vities, which can be particularly noticed amongst with no assistance from the media, supposing that younger people. Greater numbers of people are perhaps they were created and constructed for the becoming involved and participating in these acti- needs of the media (Kavčič, 2008). Extreme sports, vities; this fact is put to profitable use by increasing which include striking power, reputation, suspense, numbers of providers of sports and tourist services. the proximity of the event and its uncommonness, Times, as Olivier (2006) states, are dramatically are interesting to the media. People desire entertain- changing, so we can easily say that activities thought ment, information; they desire spectacle, being to be completely insane and highly dangerous able to identify themselves with the heroes; they twenty years ago are now considered relatively safe. are fascinated by everything new, dynamic and The key role in the increase of these types of attractive. sports can be attributed to the influence of the media Palmer (2002) states that the everyday life has and to the development of new technologies that lost its excitement and danger. Therefore, dissatis- make it easier for people to participate in relatively faction with ordinary life and social requirements are risky sports activities. The presence of the media supposed to have enforced the need for stimulation. and their influence enables larger crowds of people Every person can satisfy this need by participating to be presented with these sports, and also renders in “extreme” activities. However, it can also happen the growth and the popularity of these sports that the inexperienced persons too often participate possible. Wheaton (2003) concludes that the media in these activities in an overly naive manner. This influence the social comprehension of the reality, the can lead to serious injuries, in the worst case even spectators and the popularity, and (simultaneously) loss of life, which also influences the image of these the athletes themselves. The duality of the relation sports amongst the public. 82 Rauter, S. and Doupona Topič, M.: PERSPECTIVES OF THE SPORT-ORIENTED ... Kinesiology 43(2011) 1:82-90 Extreme athletes are, as Probert (2004) states, definition is certainly not definitive; nevertheless, from the perspective of the media, introduced to it appears prudent to examine the heterogeneous the public primarily as people who take unreason- pattern of various extreme sports. For this research, able risks in their exploits and ventures and, in this it is therefore sufficient that these sports are way, risk their lives; thus, the media have character- “extreme,” i.e. extraordinary, outmost in one of ized these activities as illogical and as indicators of their extensions, be it danger, exertion, duration, insanity. Therefore, according to Reil (2005), it is innovation, even “entertainment,” just so it can be highly interesting that athletes actually participate called an “extreme sport.” in these activities, although they realize beforehand We could thus place only the extremely dange- that with every extreme sport activity they risk their rous and demanding activities in the category of own health and that they can lose their lives. extreme sports. Simultaneously, we need to under- Due to this, we cannot refer to a competition stand the fact that each individual who participates in the sports sense of the word, as it is about some- in these sports is not necessarily an extreme thing more with these types of people; it includes athlete. It is typical for the sports that we regard as special, different values. Nevertheless, as Kavčič extremely dangerous or as “thrill” types of sports (2008) states, we can say that these kinds of ath- that, as Probert (2004) states, they primarily include letes search for happiness, satisfaction, their inner a higher risk, as each athlete demands more and selves, their own personalities and their validation. more of himself or herself and puts himself or They do not care about the established norms and herself into ever greater danger once again. In this they perform socially required activities only to be way, extreme sports are different from other top- able to fulfill their wishes. level competitive sports, which are also extreme, Because of this differentiation, their lifestyle but not in the sense of taking risks (Velepec, 2007). is supposed to be rebellious or at least an alterna- This research included this dilemma, as we, tive to the lives of ordinary people. The individual- for instance, did not know where to classify sports ity of extreme athletes should be mentioned, but in such as ski jumping, alpine downhill skiing, etc. many cases there are friendships formed and then All these are examples of how traditional Olympic connected to communities, which can be labeled sports can also be performed in an extreme way. as specific subculture scenes. The more recogniz- At the same time, we could also claim the opposite, able groups of extreme athletes are the subcultures i.e. that we can participate in extreme sports in a of: mountain bikers, surfers, skaters, snowboard- relatively safe way. Therefore, extreme sports can be ers, who are more or less connected to each other, only a more dangerous derivative of ordinary types although with their individual specific character- of sports, or they can be something completely new istics. They all form their own way of talking and or “crazy” in the sense of exceeding existing sports. their appearance, which originates in their sports Similarly, every individual also has a different high activity and then expands into other areas of their limit of danger perception and also the “extremity” lives. These athletes are mostly younger, carefree, of his or her actions. As determined by Le Breton easygoing and unburdened. They value heroism, (2000), especially those people who do not actively audacity, fearlessness and the desire to take risks participate in a certain type of sport very often (Rinehart & Sydnor, 2003). completely differently sense danger and the level The characteristic of extreme sport is therefore of risk in comparison to the athletes who have been its differentiation from the ordinary sport, be it from rigorously and extensively training in their chosen the sports, mental, or the media aspect. It represents sport. They have a feeling of being able to keep modern, unconventional, alternative, adventurous, things under control all the time. This provides them extreme activities. Various attributes apply to with feelings of satisfaction as they are presented these sports, such as extreme, risky, adrenaline, with mastering dangerous circumstances which lifestyle, etc. However, as Rinehart and Sydnor they perceive to be more of a challenge than danger. (2003) state, this description does not capture the Therefore, the purpose of the research was to essence of these sports, i.e. the adventure and the determine and analyze in detail public opinion with extreme. Therefore, the choice of which expression regard to participation in extreme sports, and the to use is, on one hand, left up to the researchers public’s knowledge of these sports. We were also who choose the term “risky” sports and on the interested in the popularity of the individual types other hand, to journalists and the general public of sports and in the perspectives on the stress and who often prefer to use the expression “extreme the danger of the individual types of extreme sports. sports”, perhaps because it sounds more unusual, We also verified whether the stereotypes, such as more different and thus is more attractive (Kajtna, dangerous participation in sport itself, regardless 2007). Extreme sports are, in this perspective, those of actual sports accomplishment and the hedonis- that develop and express one of their characteristics tic lifestyle (supposedly typical for the representa- and then accentuate and practice it to the extreme in tives of extreme sports) really exist or were just – comparison to other sports.