Equality, diversity and inclusion have been discussed in the sports context for many years, in practice as well as in research. In Sweden, increased inclusion is an explicit ambition in policies of the sports movement. However, there are no specific directives on how inclusion and inclusion work should be interpreted and implemented. Rooted in a theoretical framework inspired by Foucault, the present study intends to contribute to that discussion by exploring the meaning-making around inclusion and exclusion as both a discursive and social practice in a sport context.
The empirical basis for this study is four focus group interviews, carried out with participants from four different martial arts sport clubs in Sweden. The interviews circled around a) the norms in the sport clubs, b) the design of the concrete activities; the logics behind the sport practice and conditions for participation, and c) the work with inclusion, involving thoughts on existing policies and active measures. The data analysis was carried through utilising a thematic analysis procedure, based on the theoretical framework. The preliminary findings highlight both obstacles and opportunities for inclusion. Furthermore, the respondents’ comprehension of inclusion and exclusion indicates there is a negotiation on how social practices are understood in relation to inclusion and exclusion. The discussion addresses that different social categorisations and inclusion aspects seem competing, demonstrating notions on superiority and subordination in the inclusion work.