In Pursuit of Excellence

Competitive sport is today about winning and training to win. Many athletes are professionals, with careers managed by teams of specialist staff working towards the ultimate goal of world-class, medal-winning performances. This entry-level text offers new students a comprehensive introduction to the phenomenon of the pursuit of excellence in sport, covering the key issues and talking points including: - the history and tradition of sporting excellence - comparisons of elite high-performance sport programmes in Australia, the USA, East Germany and France - the historical, social, political and economic impacts of sporting excellence in the UK - current issues and debates, including drugs in sport - the future for high-performance sport. With a clear framework for understanding and exploring key issues, questions for discussion, websites and suggestions for further reading, In Pursuit of Excellence is an ideal introduction for AS, A Level and undergradute students.

Introduction 1. Sporting Excellence - the Concept 2. Sporting Excellence - an Historical Overview 3. The Long Winding Path- Sport Excellence in the UK 1950-1990 4. Atlanta 1996 - an Olympic Failure Too Far 5. Comparative Study - Four Case Studies a. Australia: Why Are They Winning? b. Vive la France c. USA - No 1 d. The GDR 6. World Class at Long Last - UK Sport Excellence 2000+ 7. Win at All costs? - the Art of Gamesmanship 8. Citius, Altius, Fortius, Pharmacus - Drugs in Élite Sport 9. What the Future Holds 10. Current View Contacts for Further Research Index