Α new concept in European sport governance: Sport as social capital

Social capital is a key component in understanding therelationship between European sport governing bodies andcivil society. A core concept in sociology, political science,organizational behaviour and business, social capital is relatively new in the context of European sport governance. Inexploring the boundaries of both sport and social capital intheory and practice, one can see sport as a form of positivesocial capital that promotes social cohesion, trust, socialties, etc. However, it could also be perceived as dark social capital since the politics of sport do not always deliverthe social benefits they proclaim due to the exclusionary vs. inclusive factors: commercialization, doping, institutionalized gender personification, the leaky pipeline and the glassceiling in SGBs and in competitive sports. Sport has not yetevolved into a form of social capital which can be nurturedand reproduced to raise social cohesion and eliminate socialexclusions.