Titre: « ICA-SPO and the
promotion of sports
archives »
Intervenant: Kenth Sjöblom
Institution: ICA-SPO, Chair/President
(National Arcives of Finland)
Content of presentation
- Brief History of ICA-SPO
- Presentation of Activities up to 2010
- Presentation of Goals and Projects 20102012
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO
Several attempts to start a section on Olympic
and Sports archives within ICA since the late
1980s, but without concrete results
In the mid 1990s a survey on sports archives
was carried out before the ICA Congress in
Beijing 1996, a meeting held during the
Congress, but again no further results
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO (2)
In early 2000s a similar attempt within IASI
(International Association of Sports
Information) to start a working group on
sports archives -> no better success
In 2003 new efforts within ICA; Executive
Board shows green light -> preparations
started, intention expressed and provisional
steering group formed during CITRA in Cape
Town in late 2003
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO (3)
Statement of Objectives, 2003:
”Sport has become a real object of study,
discussion and inspiration. It is a field
covered in the academic world in the social
and human sciences. At the same time,
sporting organizations increasingly need
retrospective references and are trying to
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO (4)
manage their archives and documentation
better with the aim to rationalize the
preparation of their future activities.
Moreover, the media are looking for historical
documents, and those sports-people
attaining stardom are particularly attentive of
their image.”
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO (5)
The objectives/goals of the section were thus:
- To involve all representatives of the sporting
world in the promotion of the identity and
history of sports, by developing the necessary
partnerships with them
- To promote preservation, research and
accessibility of archives and documentation
of sports around the world, with the
assistance of new communication technology
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO (6)
-
-
To identify the archival and documentary
fonds of all media, both those already wellorganised, and those which are not yet
protected and could be at risk.
To share heritage and culture experiences
beyond the specialized circles of archivists,
documentalists and historians, by introducing
innovative cooperation with local, national
and international sports movements.
Brief History of ICAICA-SPO (7)
In the spring of 2004 the provisional steering
committee planned actions for establishing
the section at the ICA Congress in Vienna in
August 2004.
During the Congress a special session was
arranged, as well as an exhibition. In the
Annual General Meeting of the ICA the section
was accepted as provisional to start with.
ICAICA-SPO Activities -> 2010
The section has worked mostly in accordance
with the objectives presented, although
slightly re-formulated and updated, and
organised the following activities:
- meetings of the section bureau yearly
- recruitment of members – both institutional
and individual – with the aim of spreading the
section geographically as broadly as possible
ICAICA-SPO Activities -> 2010 (2)
- organising sessions on sports archives
during sports history and sports sociology
congresses, both European and international:
Sevilla 2005, Copenhagen 2007, Tartu 2008,
Pisa 2009
- co-organising seminars on sports and
archives with other organisations: Paris &
Roubaix 2005, Turin 2007, Helsinki 2010
ICAICA-SPO Activities -> 2010 (3)
- raising awareness on the necessity of
safeguarding sports archives through
petitions to decision-makers; together with
CESH (European Committee on Sports History)
towards the EU in 2007 -> lame feedback
- raising awareness through publications; by
preparing a special issue on sports archives
for ICA´s journal Comma (to be published in
April 2011)
ICAICA-SPO Activities -> 2010 (4)
- organising a session and managing a stand
in the exhibition area during the ICA
Congress in Kuala Lumpur 2008; session
attracted over 30 participants despite 10-12
parallel sessions
publishing a brochure/promotional leaflet in
seven ICA languages (Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, German, Russian and
Spanish), 4 printed and 3 only electronic
ICAICA-SPO Goals and Projects 201020102012
- Directory on sports archives worldwide
◦ - in cooperation with other ICA sections, who are
preparing similar directories within their own field
◦ - description of institutions and holdings based on
ICA standards in order to make the directories look
more alike
◦ - directories to be hosted on the ICA website; easier
to update in electronic form than printed
◦ - collection of information for the directory through
various channels and networks
ICAICA-SPO Goals and Projects 201020102012 (2)
- directory also useful for recruiting new
members worldwide
- information for directory will be collected
through ICA regional branches, networks of
international sports organisations (IOC, IAAF,
UEFA etc.), various versions of listserves etc
- PLEASE NOTE! In order to make the
directory as comprehensive as possible, SPO
will need also the help of your organisation!
ICAICA-SPO Goals and Projects 201020102012 (3)
- the section will continue working together
with organisations in the field of sports
research, arranging sessions and workshops
on sports archives, aiming at further raising
the awareness of the situation of sports
archives
- continued lobbying towards politicians and
leaders in sports organisations to increase
understanding in the value of sports archives
ICAICA-SPO Goals and Projects 201020102012 (4)
- the section will try to continue publishing
articles and books, aiming at spreading
knowledge about the situation of sports
archives to a broader audience
- preparation of guidelines and
recommendations on handling sports
archives
- arranging of session during the ICA
Congress in Brisbane 2012 for visibility
Thank you for your attention –
Welcome to join SPO!
For further information on section activities:
http://new.ica.org (to be officially opened)
or:
Kenth Sjöblom, Chair of SPO
Senior Research Officer
National Archives of Finland
[email protected]