Qualitative Research on Roma People and Their Attitude to Sport

1. Qualitative researchRoma people and their attitude to sport • Authors: František Bartoš Šárka Hastrmanová • In support of Comenius & Nadace Arbor Vitae

2. Historical mini-introduction • 15.cent.- regular appearance of Roma groups • Since 17.cent. – settling down of some families • 18. cent. – Organized try of the Habsburk monarchy to adapt all strolling Roma families • During W.W.2 – most of the czech Roma were killed (583 survivors only) • 1945-65 – The Roma from Slovakia are comming (volunteered, spontaneously) • Colonies → cities • Huts→city flats • 1965-70- „Politics of organized dispersion“

3. Present structure of Roma population in CR • Approximate number of Roma 1989 – 150 thousand 1999 – cca 250 -300 thousand 80´- Roma: 3,5 children/ family Non-Roma: 1,7 children/ family • 4 sub-ethnic Roma groups : • 65%-70% slovakian Roma • 15%-20% hungarian Roma (from south slovakia) • 10%-15% „olašští“ Roma • The rest of german (sinti), czech and moravian Roma

4. The Research Design • Research purpose: • focused on the attitude of sportsman from Roma ethnics to sport activity • Metodology: • study of literature search, debates with NGO´s • based on grounded theory • non-structured interview (list of topics) • Sample: • 12 sportsman (define themselves as Roma people) • won at least one match on national level • are or were active sportsman

5. Training • Regularity of training is in most cases discouraging from the sport activity • Early win is the biggest motivation • Authority of coach • Personal relation with coach • The biggest motivator for Roma people in the beginnings is not the activity itself but the personality of the mentor

6. Response of peopleabout them • Family: • Possitive attitude to sport = psychical and financial support • Mediate the first contact to sport • In most cases is sport seen as unuseful but is tolerated • Father is more active in support • Friends: • Mediate the first contact to sport • Build up the fan club • Sometimes consequence is new reference group • Majority opinions: • Recognition, respect, reputation • Caused the change of negative sterotypes

7. The consequences of sport in life • Sport activity as their sence of life • Efect on their personality: • know that they want • sence for responsibility • have more self-confidence • knowledge how to behave in wide society • Protect from potential deliquency • Vertical mobility - mostly the only chance how to be successful and get respect

8. Sport: direct or latent part of future career Dependence on age No discrimination! Collective versus individual sports: viewers and trainers The role of sport in their future • Motivation • „I still want to be better“ • If the winning does not come, the sportman leaves. • Reference group, mobility, entertainment • Discrimination in sport

9. Trainers experience • 5 trainers – two different perspectives • Combat sports: natural versus fear • Role of ethnic: positives and negatives • Positives: „vitality“, mental maturity • Negatives: absence of obedience, discipline

10. The final conclusion • What is necessary to become a successful sportman? • Have expectations and believe in them. • To be hard-working. • To persist in their sport activity. • Are these premises familiar to the Roma culture?

11. Thank you for your attention!