ABSTRACT

Sport participants cannot be conceived of as isolated individuals but as individuals that have relationships with and are dependent on other actors. Women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) involves not only the gymnasts and coaches but also many other actors that affect participants’ experiences, behaviours, perceptions, and careers. In this context, WAG can be seen as a sport figuration where multiple networks of ‘mutually orientated and dependent people’ are at work (Elias, 1978, p. 261). In order to fully understand WAG’s figuration, it is crucial to think about the interdependent relationships between people, the established positions they occupy within the figuration, and the relationships across the multiple figurations that people hold (Elias, 2001). This means that besides the gymnasts and coaches, one should also study the medical staff, supporters, sports club administrators, the national sport federation, media, parents, school, peers, and so on. Although not acknowledging or being aware of the impact they might have on others, all these actors are mutually interdependent and, intentionally/non-intentionally and consciously/non-consciously, influence and are influenced by others. In this chapter, we outline some of the core principles of figurational sociology and demonstrate how this approach can help to better understand WAG’s social networks.