Sport and Technology

How do new technologies come to be used in sport? This book provides an answer that moves beyond simple functionality. It argues that while technologies must work in order to be used, the functionality of the technology is less relevant for athletes and sporting bodies where there are myriad of other factors that contribute to their decisions to utilize particular technologies. Few doubt the complexity of producing an elite athletic performance; the high-level of training, combined with intense competition plus pressure from media and sponsors can be challenging for athletes and sporting bodies to negotiate. While exploring how these factors affect how technology is utilized in sport, the study also demonstrates how the technologies themselves influence sporting practice Sport and technology offers an inside view into elite sport and the part that technology plays in training, competition and broadcasting. It makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in elite sporting practice in the 21st century while offering theoretical insights relevant to sport and sociology students and scholars.