‘For those few minutes you are free’: The meaning of sport from imprisoned men's perspective

Abstract

Based on an ethnographic study in a German prison, this article explores the question of what meaning incarcerated men attach to sport in light of the loss of freedom and autonomy which according to Sykes are particular ‘pains of imprisonment’. The material shows the following: (1) Incarceration is perceived by imprisoned men as a life under duress and proves to be a stark contrast to life outside prison due to the limited freedom of movement, action and decision making. (2) Sport is a means for incarcerated men to bring back memories of being free and to mentally escape into the time before imprisonment. (3) Sport is one of the few opportunities for imprisoned men to spend time in fresh air, which results in a physically–sensually experienced liberation. (4) Participation in sports enables the incarcerated to temporarily regain freedom of action and decision making. Overall, the findings indicate that sport can best be understood as a help in coping with incarceration. It is concluded from the findings that imprisoned men attach their own meanings to sport, largely detached from the function of sport ascribed by the institution (such as rehabilitation and health promotion).