More fulfilling lives through sport

The goal of this chapter is to argue that elite sport should actively and earnestly support sport-for-all. Sport is a complex social practice that provides a variety of opportunities for participation. In Coubertin&s;s vision, elite sport would radiate into sport-for-all and drive mass athletic participation. Today, as DaCosta and Miragaya observe, Sport-for-All refers to any kind of sport practiced without the pressures of top sport. That is, sport-for-all is typically understood as encompassing opportunities, both formal and informal, for all people to practise sport and engage in physical activity that are not focused on achieving the highest level of performance. Elite sport, by contrast, typically refers to competitive opportunities for those at the highest level of performance. It is important to remark that in spite of their particular focus and aspirations, sport-for-all and elite sport resemble each other in a fundamental way. Sport in all its various forms can provide avenues for living more fulfilling lives.