Analysis of values in the statutes of sports clubs: The case of clubs in Ticino and Vaud

Analyse des valeurs dans les statuts des clubs sportifs: Le cas des clubs tessinois et vaudois

Nathalie Widmer ()
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Nathalie Widmer: HEFSM - Haute école fédérale de sport Macolin, ISSUL - Institut des sciences du sport de l'université de Lausanne - UNIL - Université de Lausanne = University of Lausanne

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Abstract: This study examines how sports clubs in the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Vaud integrate ethical and social values into their governance by analysing their statutes. Sports clubs, as central actors in youth socialization, serve as key venues for the dissemination of values. The aim is to assess the extent to which these values are formalized, made explicit, and aligned with the Swiss Olympics' Ethics Charter. A total of 190 statutes from clubs affiliated with various federations were analysed using a qualitative approach (MAXQDA). The coding framework was based on the values promoted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), UNESCO, and Swiss Olympic. The results show that the promotion of sport (160 mentions) and team spirit (83 mentions) are the most frequent themes, while moral and ethical principles are less commonly cited (41 mentions). The complete absence of the verb "to transmit," despite its centrality in the Ethics Charter, reveals a lack of formalization in how values are conveyed. Ticino clubs more frequently reference the Ethics Charter, whereas Vaud clubs place greater emphasis on fair play and anti-doping measures. These findings highlight a gap between the recognition of values and their practical implementation. To enhance the effective transmission of values to young athletes, it is necessary to harmonize the drafting of statutes, introduce training initiatives, and include monitoring mechanisms.

Keywords: Values; Sport Clubs; Statutes; Switzerland; Qualitative Analysis; Socialisation; Valeurs; Analyse qualitative; Suisse; Statuts; Clubs sportifs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Published in Management & Organisations du Sport, 2025, Vol. 7, 2025, ⟨10.46298/mos-2025-14444⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04730012

DOI: 10.46298/mos-2025-14444

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