The Power of Sport Building Social Bridges and Breaking Down Cultural Barriers
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Faculty of Humanities Centre for Aboriginal Studies The Power of Sport Building social bridges and breaking down cultural barriers Paul Oliver This thesis is presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Curtin University September 2014 The Power of Sport ii Declaration To the best of my knowledge and belief this thesis contains no material previously published by any other person except where due acknowledgement has been made. This thesis contains no material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university. Signature: Date: 20 September 2014 The Power of Sport iii Abstract This thesis set out to find evidence whether sport was effective at breaking down cultural barriers across sporting communities for Indigenous people and those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) backgrounds, and if it could build bridges by contributing to wider social, physical and health issues, and thereby generate increased social capital in communities. Drawing upon new insights and experiences of online survey respondents and interviewees who are directly involved in various capacities in all levels of sport in Australia, this research finds that sport is not the magic bullet to ‘cure all’ social ills that many assume, in fact in many cases sport reaffirms many existing power structures which cause discrimination and inequality. However, participation in and through sport can help processes of belonging, trust and inclusion, and if managed correctly, sport can be an excellent medium for encouraging awareness and valuable public debate on wider social issues. This thesis aims to contribute to existing sport and sociology studies concerning social capital and exclusion and discrimination in elite and community sporting contexts. It also aims to add to sports policy knowledge and practice through investigating the nature, effects and consequences of policies, programs and systems that have been put in place to encourage inclusive, non-discriminatory environments across a number of different sports in Australia. By comparing and contrasting multiple sporting codes it is possible to determine how far these sports have progressed at addressing issues and challenges for Indigenous people and CaLD groups since I conducted research in 2007 for the Australian Human Rights Commission when I authored What’s the Score? A survey of cultural diversity and racism in Australian sport (AHRC, 2007). I also highlight the contribution that sportspeople, events and campaigns have contributed to enhancing social networks and furthering awareness and debate on wider social, physical and health issues. One enduring point to highlight from this research is that sport alone cannot achieve social goals or solve complex issues - it is the players, coaches and administrators who are the heart and soul of sporting organisations at elite and grassroots levels that hold the key to what sport is capable of delivering. This thesis argues that sport is the empty vessel - it is how we choose to fill this vessel that determines what the The Power of Sport iv outcomes will be; this includes the avowed policy outcomes it seeks to achieve around participation, inclusion, health, education or any other issue it may engage with. Keywords: Sport, Inclusion, Social Capital, Indigenous, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Multiculturalism, Discrimination, Racism, Health The Power of Sport v Table of contents Declaration .................................................................................................................. ii Abstract ...................................................................................................................... iii List of figures .............................................................................................................. vi Abbreviations ............................................................................................................ vii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. viii Published work based upon this thesis ..................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1 - A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY THROUGH SPORT ....................... 1 CHAPTER 2 - THE PROJECT AND THE PLAYERS ............................................ 20 CHAPTER 3 - EXPERTS IN THE FIELD ................................................................ 45 CHAPTER 4 - SAFE, FAIR AND INCLUSIVE SPORT? ....................................... 77 CHAPTER 5 - RACISM IN SPORT: AN OLD ADVERSARY ............................. 115 CHAPTER 6 - THE MODERN SPORTING EXPERIENCE FOR INDIGENOUS AND CaLD PARTICIPANTS ................................................................................. 144 CHAPTER 7 - COMPARING AND CONTRASTING SPORTING CODES IN AUSTRALIA ........................................................................................................... 179 CHAPTER 8 - A WIDER ROLE FOR SPORT? ..................................................... 231 CONCLUSION - SPORT: MOVING INTO UNCHARTERED WATERS ........... 261 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 280 APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 325 APPENDIX 1 - Information sheet (Questionnaire) ................................................. 325 APPENDIX 2 - Consent form .................................................................................. 328 APPENDIX 3 - Stage One (Online survey) ............................................................. 329 APPENDIX 4 - Stage Two (Semi-structured interviews) ........................................ 331 APPENDIX 5 - Stage Three (Focus groups) ........................................................... 333 The Power of Sport vi List of figures Figure One: Cloud view visual representation of the sports that survey participants indicated they were involved in. ................................................................................ 34 Figure Two: Cloud view visual representation of the role in sport that survey participants indicated they were involved in. ............................................................. 35 Figure Three: Bar chart on survey responses for Question 5 of the research online survey (Overall, please describe your satisfaction on whether the sport you are involved in is safe, fair and inclusive?). ..................................................................... 38 Figure Four: Bar chart on survey responses for Question 6 of the research online survey (Was your decision to be involved in your chosen sport influenced by how safe, fair and inclusive it is?). ..................................................................................... 97 Figure Five: Bar chart on survey responses for Question 5 of the research online survey (Overall, please describe your satisfaction on whether the sport you are involved in is safe, fair and inclusive?). ..................................................................... 99 The Power of Sport vii Abbreviations ABS – Australian Bureau of Statistics AFL – Australian Football League AHRC – Australian Human Rights Commission AIHW – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ARU – Australian Rugby Union ASC - Australian Sports Commission ASSH – Australian Society for Sports History ATSI – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander CaLD – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse CMY – Centre for Multicultural Youth CSA – Community Service Announcement DSR – Department of Sport and Recreation FECCA - Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia FFA – Football Federation Australia FIFA - Fédération Internationale de Football Association HoRSCATSIA - House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs HREOC – Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission MPIO – Member Protection Information Officer NAIDOC – National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee NGO – Non Government Organisation NRL – National Rugby League NSO – National Sporting Organisation PIEDs – Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs RAP – Reconciliation Action Plan RDA – Racial Discrimination Act SCOA – Settlement Council of Australia SSO – State Sporting Organisation UEFA – Union of European Football Associations VFL – Victorian Football League The Power of Sport viii Acknowledgements As with most sporting (and life) endeavours, the individual is only as strong as the team around them. This thesis would not have been achieved without the enduring support from my extended team of family, friends, and academic colleagues. Special thanks and love to my wife Lisa and wonderfully patient children Jade and Tom, who must have wondered where their trampoline partner disappeared to and what their dad did in the home office for endless nights and weekends over the last few years. My eternal gratitude to my direct supervisor, Dr Sean Gorman - a kindred spirit of sorts, who has always been there for me with guidance, advice and motivation, and has grown into a good friend. Many thanks also to my co-supervisor Dr Philip Moore for his direction and support, and to the group of academic colleagues/friends that I have gained along the way - Dr Dean Lusher, Professor Keir Reeves and Megan Ponsford. My experiences and learning gained from conferences in Belfast and Cambridge with this fantastic group of people will remain with me long after the ink has