{"id":1459,"date":"2025-04-01T09:32:05","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T07:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/?p=1459"},"modified":"2025-04-01T09:37:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T07:37:27","slug":"book-review-game-changer-the-technoscientific-revolution-in-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/2025\/04\/01\/book-review-game-changer-the-technoscientific-revolution-in-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: Game changer – the technoscientific revolution in sports"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Stian R\u00f8sten, Sigbj\u00f8rn Skirbekk, Anne Tj\u00f8nndal, Daniele Canini, Frida W\u00e5gan and Jens Grut Vorpvik<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Game changer: the technoscientific revolution in sports<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Game Changer: The Technoscientific Revolution in Sports<\/em>, Rayvon Fouch\u00e9 explores the evolving intersection of sport, science, and technology. Utilising examples from a variety of sports, the book delves into how technoscientific advancements challenge traditional notions of fairness, athleticism, and authenticity in modern sports. Fouch\u00e9 critically examines the implications of innovations like advanced sport uniform materials and performance-enhancing drugs in sports culture, governance, and athlete identity. By blending detailed descriptions of cases with technical and theoretical insights, the book provides a nuanced and rich analysis of a selection of compelling examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fouch\u00e9\u2019s central thesis is that technological interventions have fundamentally reshaped how we understand athletic performance and sporting competitions. While sports have historically celebrated the \u2018natural\u2019 capabilities of the human body, the growing integration of science and technology increasingly blurs the boundary between human effort and technological enhancement. This transformation raises complex ethical, regulatory, and social questions about fairness and access. For instance, he questions how prosthetics, wearables, and other types of technological augmentations complicate the distinctions between \u2018natural\u2019 and \u2018artificial\u2019 athletes, using Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius (\u2018the blade runner\u2019) and six times world paralympic champion in long-jump Markus Rehm (\u2018the blade jumper\u2019) as examples (chapter 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book is structured in two parts, each evolving around three key case studies. The first part \u2018Judging artefacts\u2019 includes controversies surrounding hydro-dynamic swimsuits in swimming (chapter 1), carbon-plated running shoes (chapter 2), and the role of assistive devices and technology in athletics (chapter 3). The second part: \u2018Evaluating bodies\u2019, considers gender verification debates in sports (chapter 4), the issue of doping and drug testing through the case of Lance Armstrong (chapter 5), and surveillance issues related to athlete biological passports (chapter 6). These examples all work to illustrate how technological and biological innovations provoke debates about equality and legitimacy in competition. Fouch\u00e9\u2019s conclusion chapter highlights the future of sport, stressing the importance of fostering critical dialogue about the evolving role of technology. He challenges readers to rethink concepts of fairness and authenticity in the face of inevitable technological advances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our research group found this book to be an enjoyable read. From our reading, we have two primary critiques of the book. The first pertains to how well the text works for its intended audience. We interpret this book to be written for the general public. Fouch\u00e9\u2019s writing style is both engaging and compelling, which we applaud. Still, the text requires quite a bit of academic knowledge to fully understand, as some of the chapters draws in sociological theories when analysing the empirical cases being explored. For instance, it is clear for us that the book is grounded in Actor-Network- Theory (ANT) which is also stated as the analytical framework (10). However, ANT is not explained or described in such a way that readers without preliminary knowledge of this theory can fully appreciate the structure and analyses of the chapters. Additionally, Cyborg Theory, as proposed by Donna Haraway, is abruptly introduced as a framework in the discussion of gender verification testing in Chapter 4 (131\u2013153) without adequate explanation or justification for its application. However, the book might be written for those really invested in either the themes or the specific cases (e.g. Lance Armstrong, Pistorius, doping, gender verification tests) as these at times are presented through highly technical and complicated descriptions. For instance, in Chapters 1, 3, and 4, the lengthy and detailed elaborations of the cases leave insufficient space for thoroughly developing and addressing the critical questions posed at the end of each chapter (e.g. in relation to sport and sex identification on page 152\u2013153: \u2018In our emerging technoscientific era, will publics, competitors, and sport governing bodies be able to detach themselves from the tenets of sex-based competition in the interest of seeing more balanced competition with equivalent athletes?\u2019). We see this as a missed opportunity, as questions raised by Fouch\u00e9 are highly relevant and interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simultaneously, our critical remark of the book\u2019s sometimes long and thorough descriptions of the cases (swimsuits, biological passports, Lance Armstrong, and so on), could also be seen as one of its main strengths. For example, Fouch\u00e9 elaborates on how the designs of swimsuits have been crucial to sporting performance for well over 100\u2009years. Up until the 1920s, the construction of swimwear for women had been moulded by strong societal conservatism. Therefore, it was surprising that England\u2019s gold medal winning 4\u2009\u00d7\u2009100\u2009m team wore form fitting suits, exposing more skin than had traditionally been the norm. At the same time, this example, along with Fouch\u00e9\u2019s detailed exploration of a century of technological innovation within swimming, demonstrates that gaining an edge through sporting equipment has always been \u2013 and probably always will be \u2013 an important part of sport. This point is further illustrated by the detailed chapter regarding how technological advancements played a role in breaking \u2018the hour\u2019 record in cycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These remarks highlight how the evolution of sporting gear and equipment has become a necessity for competing at the elite level. Thus, this might create increasing tension, whether it is the \u2018motor or the machine\u2019, as Fouch\u00e9 puts it, that ultimately determines success. The motor being the human body and the machine being technological innovations. Although we think his concluding remarks are too simplistic, in which we perceive him to argue that the \u2018motor\u2019 is the authentic and the \u2018machine\u2019 is the \u2018nonauthentic\u2019, we also think the detailed chapters creates a good overview of how different stakeholders within sport continuously negotiate what is \u2018real\u2019 sporting prowess and what is not. What is considered \u2018real\u2019 depends on different contexts, such as country, culture, sport, gender, position, and media. We believe that one of the main strengths of the book is precisely its emphasis on how discourses shape what is perceived as \u2018authentic\u2019 in sports at any given time. The conclusion chapter does not fully capture this complexity. This is also the second critique from our reading. Throughout the book, Fouch\u00e9 does a thorough job emphasising how technoscience is affecting sport, and that how technoscience is used and understood is not \u2018a given\u2019 but rather a result of a complex sociocultural battle between stakeholders. This is an important message from the book. However, in the conclusion all this effort is somewhat undermined by utilising what appears as an over-simplified and quite normative figure (208), dividing technological artefacts depending on whether they maintain or undermine authority (y-axis) and if they are internal or external (x-axis). Claiming that at the centre of the axes (0,0) makes technoscience \u2018fully instrumental\u2019 and understood as \u2018benign and inconsequential material infrastructure of a game\u2019 (216) appears problematic. As we read the book, we understand that the main purpose is<\/em> to blur the boundaries and make the case that what counts as \u2018real\u2019 or \u2018authentic\u2019 sport a constant political and sociocultural battle that is ever-changing. Who decides what counts as authentic? And might that not change in line with societal and political developments? The conclusion seems to argue that the way forward for authenticity in sport is human<\/em> performance and less reliance on technology. This does not sit well with the book as a whole, given that Fouch\u00e9 argues technoscience has always been part of sport and is part of the shaping of what sport is and will be, and that what is authentic is mostly down to which (romantic) narrative that dominates within a culture or society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, Fouch\u00e9 creates compelling narratives of how technoscience may change sports for better or worse, that captivate and challenge us readers to think and critically reflect on \u2018what is at stake for the future sport\u2019 (222). His skill in raising pertinent questions within the presented cases makes this book both engaging and intellectually stimulating. An example of this is his critical questions around the use of \u2018enabling\u2019 technology in paralympic sports in chapter three. By using the concept of game in the title, Fouch\u00e9 furthermore captures how the increasingly scientific and technical oversight is fraught with tensions for \u2018publics, governing bodies, competitors, and technoscientific actors as the four main groups constituting sporting communities\u2019 (10). Hence, the game highlights how the understandings between, for example, the \u2018motor\u2019 and the \u2018machine\u2019, \u2018fairness\u2019 and \u2018cheating\u2019, \u2018natural\u2019 and \u2018artificial\u2019 can compete against each other with various consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although we agree with Fouch\u00e9\u2019s assertion that the \u2018game\u2019 between the motor and machine must evolve towards and understanding of the \u2018symbiotic relationship between the motor and the machine, the body and the artifact\u2019 (222), there is a missed opportunity to provide a more systematic exploration of the mechanism required to address these tensions. Moreover, while the conclusion raises critical questions, it relies on a normative framework (208) that simplifies the dynamics of the role of technoscience in sport, as opposed to embracing the nuanced and evolving nature of what constitutes \u2018authentic\u2019 sport, as emphasised in the other chapters of the book. In addition, the figures appear too static and would benefit from the inclusion of examples showing how the technologies can be placed in different parts of the figure due to changing conditions for application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book may find its most receptive audience among readers who are deeply interested in the intersection of sport, technology and society, particularly those who seek to challenge the idea that technoscience alone can solve all issues in these areas. Perhaps that is also the intended audience of the book. In conclusion, the book raises important and timely questions although it has already been seven years since it was published, and the field has developed rapidly. By providing ever relevant examples, it prompts readers to rethink the role of technoscience in shaping the cultural and competitive landscape of sport. Yet, newer books on this topic should also include examples such as additive manufacturing to create customised sports equipment (e.g. 3D printed shoes), regenerative medicine for treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries (e.g. stem cells to treat joint issues) or artificial intelligence (e.g. modify or design new PEDs to evade current testing methods). Despite some gaps in practical guidelines and accessibility, the book succeeds in fostering a critical dialogue about the future of sport, making it a valuable contribution for those ready to deal with the intricate dynamics of this evolving field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

R\u00f8sten, S., Skirbekk, S., Tj\u00f8nndal, A., Canini, D., W\u00e5gan, F., & Grut Vorpvik, J. (2025). Game changer: the technoscientific revolution in sports: by Rayvon Fouch\u00e9, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017.\u00a0European Journal for Sport and Society<\/em>, 1\u20133. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/16138171.2025.2478763<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By: Stian R\u00f8sten, Sigbj\u00f8rn Skirbekk, Anne Tj\u00f8nndal, Daniele Canini, Frida W\u00e5gan and Jens Grut Vorpvik Game changer: the technoscientific revolution in sports In Game Changer: The Technoscientific Revolution in Sports, Rayvon Fouch\u00e9 explores the evolving intersection of sport, science, and technology. Utilising examples from a variety of sports, the book delves into how technoscientific advancements challenge […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[19],"class_list":["post-1459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogg-engelsk","category-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1459"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1470,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1459\/revisions\/1470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1459"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.nord.no\/response\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}