Is the comparison of sport to religion justifi ed?

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to point out certain reasons for which some scholars perceive modern sport as a phenomenon that is signifi cantly similar to or (in stronger variants) identical to religion. Referring to the distinction between substantive and functional defi nitions of religion, I would like to show that this approach is based on the latter and, as such, is burdened with some serious fl aws. In criticizing functional defi nitions of religion I argue for a standpoint that comprises elements of the substantive as well as the functional perspective. In order to illustrate the heuristic merit of this approach, I refer to the analysis which has been put forward by a French anthropologist, Christian Bromberger. Drawing on the conclusions of his studies, I attempt to show that the substantive-functional perspective (a) enables a more detailed description of both sport and religion, which, apart from the similarities, brings out signifi cant diff erences between them, and (b) helps to understand some features of modern Western societies.