After the triumph: an anthropological study into the lives of elite athletes after competitive sport Susanna Maria (Marizanne) Grundlingh Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements in respect of the Doctoral Degree in Philosophy in the Department of Anthropology in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Free State Supervisor: Professor Robert Gordon December 2015 DECLARATION I, Susanna Maria (Marizanne) Grundlingh, declare that the thesis that I herewith submit for the Doctoral Degree of Philosophy at the University of the Free State is my independent work, and that I have not previously submitted it for a qualification at another institution of higher education. I, Susanna Maria (Marizanne) Grundlingh, hereby declare that I am aware that the copyright is vested in the University of the Free State. I, Susanna Maria (Marizanne) Grundlingh, hereby declare that all royalties as regards intellectual property that was developed during the course of and/or in connection with the study at the University of the Free State, will accrue to the University. In the event of a written agreement between the University and the student, the written agreement must be submitted in lieu of the declaration by the student. I, Susanna Maria (Marizanne) Grundlingh, hereby declare that I am aware that the research may only be published with the dean’s approval. Signed: Date: December 2015 ii ABSTRACT The decision to retire from competitive sport is an inevitable aspect of any professional sportsperson’s career. This thesis explores the afterlife of former professional rugby players and athletes (road running and track) and is situated within the emerging sub-discipline of the anthropology of sport. I consider the elite sports culture within which athletes apply their sporting trade and show how the everyday life of elite athletes is shaped by the mass media and a culture of individualism. The elite sports culture informs how athletes perceive their bodies after sports retirement. By drawing on the notion of the sports body as a machine I show that professional rugby players disregard the potential future ailments that they may live with once their rugby careers are over. The importance of social networks established during their sporting careers is also explored with specific reference to the role that schools and universities play in promoting social capital. The research, moreover, hopes to contribute to knowledge about the afterlife of sportspeople by considering the interconnectedness between elite athlete’s private decision to retire from sport and the public representation of their sporting lives through sport heritage practices. The study of sports heritage in South Africa has been a largely neglected and hitherto closed field of study. The study concludes that the material culture of South African former sport heroes enables them to live on near perpetuity, as they become symbolically immortalised through sport heritage practices Conceptually this thesis draws on the theory of social capital, the body, the notion of symbolic immortality, and the politics of memory and heritage practices. Empirically, sport museums as expressions of heritage are investigated with specific reference to the preservation of South African rugby heritage at the Springbok Experience Museum in Cape Town and an analysis of the Comrades Marathon House museum in Pietermaritzburg. Besides these, I also visited places where the material culture of former South African sport heroes are exhibited. These included the houses of sports collectors, community sport museums, corporate sport museum, sport stadia and sport heritage exhibitions at prominent South African rugby schools and universities. Semi – structured interviews were conducted with former professional rugby players, athletes and sport heritage practitioners. Participant observation at sport events that commemorated sportspeople of the past also substantiate the findings. Primary sources drawn from the South African Rugby Board’s archives contributed to the understanding of rugby heritage practices prior to the professional era. iii Key words: sport heritage, elite athletes, retirement, material culture, social capital, symbolic immortality, rugby, museums, athletics iv OPSOMMING Die besluit om uit mededingende sport te tree is ‘n onvermydelike dimensie van enige sportpersoon se loopbaan. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die lewe na sport van voormalige professionele rugbyspelers en atlete (padwedlope en baan) en is gesitueer in die ontluikende sub-dissipline van die antropologie van sport. Ek betrag die elite sportkultuur waarbinne atlete hulle beroep beoefen en hoe die alledaagse lewe van elite atlete deur die massamedia en die kultuur van die inidvidu gevorm word. Die elite sportkultuur beïnvloed ook die wyse waarop atlete hulle liggame na uittrede bejeen. Deur te steun op die gedagte van die sportliggaam as ‘n masjien, toon ek aan hoe professionele rugbyspelers die potensiële toekomstige fisiese gebreke waarmee hulle na hulle loopbane gekonfonteer mag word, ignoreer. Die belangrikheid van sosiale netwerke wat tydens sportloopbane gestig word, word ook ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na die rol wat skole en universiteite speel in die bevordering van sosiale kapitaal. Die navorsing hoop boonop om ‘n bydrae tot kennis oor die lewe na sport deur te let op die verwantskap tussen die elite atleet se privaat besluit om uit sport te tree en die openbare beelding van van hulle sportlewens deur sporterfnis praktyke. Die studie van sporterfnis in Suid-Afrika is nog grootliks verwaarloos en tot dusver ‘n geslote studieveld. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die materiële kultuur van Suid-Afrikaanse voormalige sporthelde hulle in staat stel om tot tyd en ewigheid voort te leef in die vorm van simboliese onsterflikheid soos beliggaam in sporterfnis praktyke. Konseptueel ontleen die tesis insigte van die teorie van sosiale kapitaal, die liggaam, die gedagte van simboliese ontsterflikheid en die politiek van herinnering en erfnispraktyke. Empiries word sportmuseums as uitdrukkings van erfnis ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na die bewaring van die Suid-Afrikaanse rugby erfnis by die “Springbok Experience Museum” in Kaapstad en ‘n ontleding van die Comrades Marathon huismuseum in Pietermaritzburg. Hierbenewens het ek ook plekke besoek waar die materiële kultuur van voormalige Suid-Afrikaanse sporthelde ten toon gestel word. Dit sluit in die huise in van persone wat sport memorabilia versamel, gemeenskap sportmuseums, sportstadiums en sporterfnis uitstallings by prominente Suid-Afrikaanse rugbyskole en universiteite. Semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer met voormalige professionele rugbyspelers, atlete en sporterfnis praktisyns. Deelnemende observasie by sportgebeurtenisse waar voormalige sportpersoonlikhede herdenk is, het ook tot die bevindinge bygedra. Primêre bronne van die Suid-Afikaanse Rugbyraad Argief het eweneens tot begrip van rugbyerfnis praktyke voor die professionele era bygedra. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following people were instrumental in seeing this thesis come to fruition: Professor Robert Gordon for his guidance and support throughout this research project and for allowing me the opportunity to merge two of my passions, that of anthropology and sport. I am indebted to him for both his intellectual contribution, as well as the finances he sourced for the duration of my studies. The staff at the Department of Anthropology at the University of the Free State for providing me with the academic space to do research. The rugby players and athletes who allowed me to get a glimpse of their lives and who openly shared the challenging aspects of a life after sport with me. I am also indebted to the sport heritage practitioners who made time for me and who welcomed me to various sport museums. My parents for their unconditional love and encouragement and for instilling in me the value of hard work and consistency. The legacy continues … My brother and sister for stimulating my interest in sport, during our childhood volleyball, cricket, soccer, bodyboarding and table tennis championships. My best friend and critic, Joey for always asking me challenging questions about my research and the conceptualisation thereof. Thank you for your unwavering support and love. This thesis is dedicated to my namesake, Susanna Maria Human, who is regrettably no longer with us, but whose love for me and obsession with sport for over 90 years made this endeavour entirely worthwhile. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................ii ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................iii OPSOMMING ...........................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.................................................................................................. xii INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1