Play the Game Conference 2025 – Tampere, Finland (05–08 October)

From 5–8 October 2025, Marloes Ekkelboom, research associate and PhD candidate at the Institute for Sport History, participated in the Play the Game Conference in Tampere, Finland.

The conference brings together a diverse range of stakeholders from across the world of sport including researchers, representatives of sport federations, human rights organizations, journalists, and athletes to discuss how sport can become more democratic and safer for everyone. Beyond its impressive range of participants, Play the Game stood out as a space for honest and constructive dialogue, a rare opportunity to connect critical perspectives and explore how values like democracy, integrity, and human rights can be translated into practice in sport.

As part of the programme, Marloes presented her research titled “Framing Dissent: A Comparative Media Analysis of Athlete Activism in Germany and the United States.” Her presentation explored how athlete activism is represented and interpreted within national media discourses, and how these portrayals reflect broader cultural and political contexts. By comparing German and U.S. media coverage, the research highlights how different framing traditions shape the public understanding of activism in sport.

The conference also offered a great chance to meet colleagues from around the world. A particular highlight was reconnecting with Rita Pires, a former MA Olympic Studies student and alumna, and exchanging experiences and ideas across academic and professional boundaries.