ABSTRACT
The contribution that sport can make to community has been a common theme within historical, sociological and political thinking about sport (Jarvie, 2003; Okayasu et al., 2010; Wilkinson, 2010). As a term, the word ‘community’ is often invoked to imply democratic legitimacy, citizenship, part of civil society or a feel-good factor. For some, the term has simply been used as a synonym for the people or society or the state and an antonym for the private sector and competition. Sport in different parts of the world is often associated with community building, social welfare, social capital and stereotypical notions of making a contribution to working-class communities (Bauman, 2001). The latter often refers to a lost network of trade unions, craft associations, friendly societies, cooperatives, women’s organisations, religious organisations, sport and social clubs, causes and campaigns and unitary organisations. Community, in this sense of the word, may be characterised by close-knit bonds or social relationships but more often than not the term refers loosely to a collection
of people in a given location – a particular town, city or nation. Community as place is often viewed as warm and friendly.
