French Sport: Caught between Universalism and Exceptionalism

Abstract

This article argues that the question of national perspectives is a fundamental problem in the writing of European sports history. It does so by demonstrating that France has an equal pedigree, in terms of diffusion and exceptionalism, as Britain, and pleads for a less skewed approach to the history of the subject in general. The article shows, first, that France contributed significantly to the internationalization of sport in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with French networks facilitating the spread of sports across the globe. It considers the impact of French universalism on the institutional structures of world sport and assesses the importance of sport to governmental diplomacy. Second, it proposes that France occupies a special place in the history of European sport, halfway between that of the British on the one hand and other continental sporting cultures on the other. It discusses the role of central and regional administrations in the creation of a sports space that is distinctly marked by a lack of football hegemony. French sport, the article concludes, is characterized by a peculiar mix of anglomanie, invented traditions, internationalism, state interventionism and eclecticism.

A Competition that Shook European Football: The Origins of the European Champion Clubs' Cup, 1954–1955

“…42 He therefore possessed an excellent knowledge of football and had, through his numerous roles, acquired an important stature both in France and abroad. 43 We might also say that he was among the great figures in the French 'tradition' -as noted by Paul Dietschy 44 -of founding sports organizations and competitions along with Pierre de Coubertin, Robert Guérin, Jules Rimet and Henri Delaunay. However, following Gabriel Hanot's idea, the journalists of L'Équipe proposed a more ambitious project, since it involved more teams, in equal numbers from the East and the West, and was expected to take place throughout the year.…”

From Mitropa Cup to UEFA Cup: the role of UEFA in the establishment of a European scale in football, 1927–1972

“…On the other hand, French leaders such as Henri Delaunay and Jules Rimet wished to organize a world championship based on their universalist point of view. 16 If the second option was chosen by the delegates at the 1928 FIFA General Assembly, 17 the first was nevertheless realized for the clubs. Secondly, the legalization of professionalism during the 1920s in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Hungary encouraged the creation of a new major international tournament, because the clubs needed additional income to pay the players.…”

Comparison of Sporting Values in Europe: Effects of Social Institutionalization in Three European Territories

“…Its organization and values mix with the society that developed it. One consequence is that the development of sports institutions in different countries, including within Europe (Dietschy, 2011), has in fact stemmed from-and led to-distinct processes of socialization, shaping differing values and moral standards (Coupland, 1993). Caillat (1992) highlights the ideological, political, philosophical and religious construction of sport.…”