THE THEATRICALITY OF SPORT AND THE ISSUE OF IDEOLOGY

Through the study of Richard Gruneau and Gunter Gebauer's respective works, this article examines the social significance and theoretical implications of sport's capacity to represent social life in a theatrical manner. The drama-like images and representations sporting practices produce, institutions codify, and television programs enhance is considered in relation to ideology's integrative, legitimating, and distorting functions (Ricoeur). Acknowledging the filiations of 'theatre' with 'theory' - both words stand for 'to contemplate, to see, to observe' - this study considers theatricality as a valuable theoretical notion that enables a synthetic and reflexive understanding of athletic practices' bodily dimension, symbolic representations, and institutional determinants.