Brice Lefèvre

Consuming sports: distinction, univorism and omnivorism

The question of the social usage of culture and its links with social groups continues to be a topic of discussion. The aim of this article is to contribute to the debate by examining coherence in the choice of physical activities and sports. The study focuses on upper social groups, questioning, from a macro-sociological standpoint, their possible omnivority and their dissonance of choice with regard to these activities. Based on a quantitative survey of sports participated in by the French, the study shows that omnivority and massification of activities are major phenomena. However, upper social groups in France remain distinguishable, in terms of both their ‘high level of omnivority’ and their choice of distinctive activities. Dissonance is another of their characteristics, although to a lesser extent.

The dangerousness of mountain recreation: A quantitative overview of fatal and non-fatal accidents in France

Abstract In France, there is a growing enthusiasm for outdoor sports and recreation. In the meantime, the risk of both severe and frequent injury associated with active pursuits in mountain areas is acknowledged. This paper tackles accidents related to mountain sports, with a focus on three critical activities: hiking, mountaineering and ski touring. The aim consists of estimating the actual number of accidents (whether they entailed deaths or injuries) in the three above-mentioned activities. In order to align the information collected, then provide estimations based on the reasoned crossing of these secondary data, we consulted and summarised all the databases available on the French territory. Results address the trauma-related mortality in absolute values, and a comparison with the death rate of other sports. The calculation of a mortality index, including secondary mortality, is then provided. Elements of mountain sports accidentality are also presented, intending to clarify how many casualities occur each year in the French mountains. Last, a focus on the particularities of each mountain sport is provided.

METHODES STATISTIQUES GLOBALES ET LOCALES D'ANALYSE D'UN TABLEAU DE CONTINGENCE PAR LES TAILLES D'EFFET ET LEURS INTERVALLES DE CONFIANCE

Global and Local Statistical Methods of Analysis for Contingency Tables by Size Effects and Confidence Intervals: This paper presents global and local analyses of a contingency table along the lines of Wilkinson et al. (1999) defining good statistical practices as using effect sizes, confidence intervals and plots instead of tests of significance. On one hand, the global relationship between the two qualitative variables is measured by Cramérs V. A confidence interval may be calculated using the decentred chi-squared distribution by inverting the corresponding significance test. A bootstrap confidence interval is also proposed. On the other hand, Ciboiss PEM (percentage of maximum deviation from independence) is a local effect size that can be computed for every cell of the contingency table giving its specific distance from the independence hypothesis. A corresponding confidence interval is calculated by the resampling bootstrap technique. An original plot summarizing these différent aspects for the entire contingency table is proposed.

Who is at risk in the French mountains? Profiles of the accident victims in outdoor sports and mountain recreation

The risk of both severe and frequent injury associated with active pursuits in mountain areas is acknowledged. This phenomenon is all the most relevant to investigate in France that there is a growing enthusiasm for outdoor sports and recreation. This paper focuses on the social-demographic and sporting profiles of accident victims. Our intent is to better understand who is specifically at risk, while practicing mountain recreation, in the French mountains. Such identification doubtlessly constitutes an important asset in order to enhance prevention. Three critical activities are notably tackled, among some others: hiking, a widespread activity that exposes many practitioners to hazardous settings; mountaineering and ski touring, supposedly entailing the most severe injuries. In order to align the information collected, then provide estimations based on the reasoned crossing of these secondary data, we consulted and summarised all the databases that we knew of on the French territory: rescue team intervention reports, aggregated statistics from the sports ministry, sporting federation accident declarations, avalanche experts statistics, mountain guides union accident/incident reports, healthcare facilities admissions, etc. Only the sources considered to be the most reliable and representative were used, owing to the number of cases processed, the exhaustive nature of data collection, or the level of information detail available. Our method also included consultation of all the parties playing an active role in prevention, training and mountain rescue, thus ensuring a participative, co-constructive approach to the study with the people that have the best knowledge of victims’ profiles. Around fifty such parties were interviewed on the methods implemented, the benefits and limits of current data, and the main expectations in terms of accidentology progress, thus further enhancing the credibility of the study proposed in this paper. Our results show that the parent population profiles (in terms of age, gender, place of residence, etc.), weighted by the level of exposure (frequency of participation, level of engagement, etc.) appears to have an impact on the accident victim profiles. There is certainly a very marked gender bias and a serious age impact to be taken into account, as well as the influence of the level of experience, which counter certain preconceived ideas and which, at the very least, go against instinct. However, aside from a probable over-exposure of experienced or expert participants, much remains to be explained concerning the accident mechanisms and circumstances involved. At this stage, we regret the analytic deficiencies induced by a lack of knowledge concerning the parent populations in many cases, which makes interpretation difficult.

The comparability of quantitative surveys on sport participation in France (1967–2010)

Results from quantitative surveys enable historians, sociologists and demographers to describe and analyse the evolution of sport participation in France from 1967 to 2010. However, most of these social scientists use the results of these surveys to create very different methodologies without having studied the surveys’ empirical data or databases. In this article, we demonstrate how we have attempted to establish a basis for comparability of the surveys by analysing these databases. As a result of our work, certain affirmations on which the history of sport participation in France has long been based may be called into question or even changed. This comparison raises the question of the distinction between the work of statisticians on the one hand, and that of historians, sociologists and demographers on the other.

Une approche « hétéro-statistique » et graphique des masses de données d’enquête – le logiciel PointG:

A “Hetero-statistical” and Graphical Approach for Massive Survey Data – The PointG Software. In sociology, one is often confronted with the problem of graphic presentations based on processing massive quantities of data from questionnaire surveys. Moreover, potential users can be of low statistical expertise, thus requiring relatively easy to use software such as PointG with drop-down menus. It is aimed at facing the difficulties due to the mass of collected quantitative data, both at the strategic, tactical and operational levels of statistical processing. It offers conventional ways of analysis going from univariate to multivariate data, but also automates treatments on groups of variables and calculates the size of overall and local effects. Apart from the graphic aspects, its distinctive “hetero-statistic” approach permits the user not to worry about the nature of the variables in bivariate analyses and during regression and factor analysis. PointG was developed within the powerful distribution free R programming environment.

Doping Risk and Career Turning Points in Male Elite Road Cycling (2005–2016)

OBJECTIVES Determine whether career paths of elite male professional riders explain the risk of being sanctioned for an Anti-Doping Rules Violation through the International Cycling Union. DESIGN, METHODS A discrete-time logit model explored the link between career path and ADRV risk in a database of 10,551 riders engaged in the first three world divisions (2005-2016), including 271 sanctioned riders. RESULTS Despite a longer career (7.8years), sanctioned riders have a precarious path. The odds of finding a sanctioned rider within those who experienced a career interruption is 5.80 times higher than for a non-caught one. 61% of the caught riders have experienced a team change. The odds of finding a caught rider within those who experienced such a change is 1.35 times higher. 44% of caught riders start before 23years, vs 34% for non-sanctioned ones. The odds of being sanctioned are 1.69 times higher for doped riders beginning before 23. The odds of finding a sanctioned rider are 1.94 times higher among those starting their careers before 2005 (establishment of Pro Tour), than those who started in 2008 or after. In that year, the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation and the biologic passport were both launched. CONCLUSIONS Caught riders could have extended their more precarious careers with doping. The post-2005 generation effect could mean that riders are cleaner or slicker at hiding doping. The higher risk of being caught for riders starting after 23 might indicate that an early professional socialization reduces the risk by teaching them to be cleaner, or better at hiding doping.

Pioneering innovations in ultra-light mountain equipment: socio-technical analysis of two objects’ trajectories

Abstract The search to lighten material is a major trend accompanying the development of several sports and recreational mountain practices (ski touring, trail running, fast hiking, etc). Such characteristics as lightness, technicality, and durability are not easy to combine for the designers. Two emblematic inventions of this successful equation have drawn our attention (a climbing harness, and a backpack). We undertook a sociological analysis of these innovatory trajectories: in a socio-technical perspective, 15 semi-directive interviews have been conducted with partakers of the two innovations. Our results point out the complexity and unpredictability of such processes. These inventions are approved in the restricted circle of experienced outdoor professionals and practitioners; but in spite of this recognition, their attaining the status of innovation can be subject to debate, because of limited compromises, little broadening of the network, and a clear turn towards restrictive practices.