The intersubjective accomplishment of power by medical professionals within unregulated combat sports

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Channon, A., Matthews, C.R. ORCID: 0000-0001-8561-2863 and Hillier, M., 2020. The intersubjective accomplishment of power by medical professionals within unregulated combat sports. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. ISSN 1012-6902 (Forthcoming)

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Abstract

The lack of power experienced by medical professionals working in various sport settings has been consistently evidenced by sociologists researching the provision of medical care to athletes. In this paper, which focuses on the work of medical professionals within ‘unregulated’ combat sports in England, we extend this discussion by focusing on the means by which such professionals attempt to (re)construct power within contexts where it cannot be taken for granted. To explore this issue we conducted 200 hours of observational fieldwork at competitive combat sports events, along with interviews with 25 medical professionals with experience in this field, 7 combat sports referees, and 9 event promoters and their staff. Employing the concept of power as ‘intersubjective accomplishment’, we argue that the influence necessary for medical professionals to undertake their work must be actively won within specific situations, principally relying on their ability to tactically interact with various other people. In so doing, we evidence both successes and failures of medical staff in this respect, arguing that such informal means of securing power make caring for the health of combat athletes a particularly challenging proposition.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

Creators:

Channon, A., Matthews, C.R. and Hillier, M.

Publisher:

SAGE Publications

Date:

19 August 2020

ISSN:

1012-6902