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University sports in Lebanon: between French heritage and American influence
Denis Bernardeau-Moreau1, Nadim Nassif2, Elie El Hayek3
1Univ. Lille, ULR 7369-URePSSS-Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Sport Santé Société, Lille, France.
Introduction:
This article examines the structure of university sports in Lebanon, a system that remains mostly overlooked in academic research.
Methods:
By analyzing the governance of the Lebanese University Sport Federation (FSUL) through data collected from 131 student-athletes across 24 universities and interviews with 22 sports directors, this study identifies a particular model mixing variables from the French and North American sports models.
Results:
While the administrative rules are based on French traditions, the growing use of students' sports scholarships shows a visible shift toward the American collegiate system. The results also show that universities are not yet the primary source for training top athletes; instead, sports associations still lead athletes' development.
Discussion:
The study concludes that Lebanon is currently caught between the French and American university sports models while trying to build its own identity.
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