The Open University

OU assists FIFA in creating safeguarding in sport diploma

28 January 2021

The Open University (OU) and FIFA have today announced the launch of the FIFA Guardians Safeguarding in Sport Diploma – a major new global education programme designed to strengthen and professionalise safeguarding standards across football. In line with FIFA’s long-term commitment to professionalise and embed child and adult safeguarding standards across the game, the course […]

Linda’s story: A non-traditional route to academia

22 November 2019

Linda, 62, is a PhD researcher at the OU. Following a successful career working with young people and sport, she’s turned to research. “I’ve not approached academia in a traditional way. I’m 62, so I’m ancient! I was secure within my professional world and don’t have the same confidence as an academic as I had […]

The Open University and Sport England unveil free sport coaching course

8 July 2019

The Open University and Sport England have partnered to deliver a free online course to educate and develop sports coaches, officials, instructors and activity leaders. Available on the OU’s free learning platform, OpenLearn – ‘Coaching Others to Coach’ launches on 8 July and can be studied by anyone at any time. Developed in consultation from […]

Cori Gauff in action on the tennis court

Cori Gauff: the support network behind 15-year-old who beat Venus Williams

5 July 2019

Candice Lingam-Willgoss, The Open University, writing for The Conversation. Until recently, it seems likely that only dedicated tennis fans had heard of Cori Gauff: the second youngest winner of the Junior French Open in 2018, she was one to watch – but it’s unlikely anyone predicted just how fast her star would rise. Yet the […]

Video assistant refereeing (VAR) in sport: the good, the bad and the ugly

23 July 2018

With the debate over Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR) technology at the Men’s Football World Cup 2018 ringing in our ears, Ben Oakley and Alex Twitchen from the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport take a look at its effects. To date 18 high profile sports have introduced VAR technology, with Ice Hockey, American Football (partly) and […]

World Cup: sexism in British punditry is clear for all to see

28 June 2018

For the first time in UK football punditry, both the BBC and ITV have hired women to offer analysis and commentate at the men’s World Cup. It is also the World Cup that has given a clear glimpse into the reality of everyday sexism. Already male pundits have been accused of patronising, condescending and sexist […]

Five things you need to be a Winter Olympian

23 February 2018

The Winter Olympics has given a perfect illustration of how the nature of elite sport requires athletes to push themselves to their limit in high-pressure competitive situations. The OU’s Candice Lingam-Willgoss, lecturer in sport and fitness notes how the performances in PyeongChang this year reveal typical examples of courage, determination and gold medal winning achievements. […]

Fitness trends for 2018: stretching classes, eco-friendly treadmills and gym psychologists

19 December 2017

In 2017 we saw the continued popularity of high intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training and group training. The success of parkrun, free 5 km running events held in over 500 parks, showed that people are interested in coming together in shared exercise experiences. Parkrun now has over 120,000 participants supported by 10,000 volunteers and […]

Women’s Euro 2017 football tournament – all you need to know

26 July 2017

The summer of women’s sport takes to the football pitch with the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 competition getting underway on July 16. It will be the 12th women’s Euro tournament and is hosted by the Netherlands for the first time, who will launch proceedings with a match against Norway in Utrecht. A total of 47 […]

Testosterone in female athletes – gender expert comments

4 July 2017

A new report from The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) says that female athletes with high levels of testosterone, such as Caster Semenya, could have a competitive advantage over their rivals. Currently the Court of Arbitration for Sport has suspended a rule enforcing a limit on naturally occurring levels of testosterone in female athletes […]

OU News

Category: Sport