Research directions
Women's Participation in Sports Governance
My research revolves around the participation of women in international sports governance. Through an analysis of the culture within these organizations and their decision-making bodies, I explore the practices and representations that either facilitate or hinder women's involvement in decision-making processes. In a research project founded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, spanning from 2020 to 2024, I conducted a multiple case study involving four international federations (cycling, triathlon, basketball, and hockey). The investigation reveals that international sports governance functions as a field of strategic actions where actors compete to form strategic coalitions, struggling to influence and define the field's configuration, making male dominance and masculinity relations central components. I am also interested in the interventions frequently implemented by these organizations to address the overrepresentation of men in sports governance (quotas, dedicated committees for women, equality, diversity, and inclusion, mentoring programs, etc.).
Sports and Integrity: Sports Organizations Facing Credibility Loss
As part of research conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the ISSUL, I focus on sports organizations currently facing a series of major challenges threatening their credibility, including doping scandals and cases of abuse and harassment in sports. I examine how organizations, under criticism regarding the fairness and authenticity of sports performance, as well as the protection and safety of athletes, are compelled to react. Considering that organizations intervene both in athlete protection and in an effort to restore their credibility, my interest primarily centers on the symbolic aspects of the implemented measures and policies. Regarding gender-based violence, I am actively spearheading research efforts in this area, collaborating closely with the Global Observatory for Gender Equality and Sport, which has designated this theme as one of its central pillars (refer also to the European project DAISI under the "Project" tab).
The Feminization of Sports Journalism and the Mediatization of Women's Sports
My work on sports journalism and its feminization in French-speaking Switzerland led me to study the careers of sports journalists in the press, their work organization, as well as the modalities of journalistic discourse production from the perspective of practices and representations of cultural industry actors, as well as content and audience construction modalities. One strong focus of my work is understanding the construction of gendered identities within this profession, in connection with the recent feminization of this "male bastion" in the French-speaking press, and the effects of the latter on the work produced by male and female journalists. My work highlights how gender is constructed daily in sports newsrooms. I also contribute to research on the mediatization of women's sports and the role of the media in recognizing sports practiced by women.
The Social Sustainability of Mega Sports Events (Media & Diversity)
With three colleagues from the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Sports (CIRS-UNIL), we are conducting a project on the sustainability of major sports events (2024-2027). Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS), it is titled "Sports for the planet? The sustainability of major sports events" and examines four thematic axes:
• City & Environment (Martin Müller, FGSE)
• Integrity & Human Rights (Stefano Caneppele, FDCA)
• Governance & Performance (Markus Lang, SSP)
• Media & Diversity (Lucie Schoch, SSP)
For more details, see under the "Project" tab.
