Social Trust in Sport

Abstract

The subject of this paper has not yet been thoroughly studied by researchers focusing on the social and humanistic aspects of sport. The paper aims to highlight the significance of social trust in the development of sport and it also explores different theoretical approaches to the subject. The analysis that follows is essentially a theoretical overview of the subject, in addition to several empirical references. The analysis mainly employs two theoretical perspectives, those of structural functionalism and social interactionism, as well as several other perspectives, although to a lesser extent. The findings show that an important role in the area of sport is played by a culture of trust. A high level of social trust leads to development and success, whereas a trust deficit, or a culture of distrust, results in stagnation, lethargy, passive attitudes and absence of development