
Health, Sports & Psychology
‘Shut up and play’: a brief history of athlete activism
Despite many sports organisers and fans maintaining a belief that sport and politics do not mix, sport has consistently proven itself as a breeding ground for activism and protest. The argument that sport and politics should be kept separate is perhaps most prevalent when it comes to athletes expressing their political views. This article ...

Health, Sports & Psychology
The case of Simone Biles and perceptions of athlete mental health
American gymnast Simone Biles was in among the medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, when she withdrew from several events at Tokyo 2020 due to mental health struggles, she came under fire from both the global media and the general public. The social media response revealed a polarising narrative, with many supporting Biles and engaging in...

Health, Sports & Psychology
The football World Cup: where sport and politics collide
Occasionally, controversies arise that remind us of the link between sport and politics. It was once common for leading figures in the sporting world to declare that sport was, effectively, a politics-free zone. Sport was cast as the perpetual innocent party, liable to be corrupted by any connection with politics. However, it has become ...

Health, Sports & Psychology
Issues in women's health in relation to sport and fitness
Explore some themes in women's sport in the following animations.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Why do female footballers experience knee injuries and what can be done?
A study in 2019 found female footballers had more than double the incidence rate of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury compared to male football players. Nigel Wright looks at the reasons behind this.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Growing the popularity of women’s football in the UK
England's three group games at the 2022 UEFA European Championships are a sell-out and Alex Twitchen looks at the how women's football in the UK can become even bigger.

Money & Business
The business of football
This free course, The business of football, was produced by The Open University working in partnership with The English Football League Trust. If you are fascinated by men's and women's football and interested in discovering more about business and management, then this engaging and stimulating course is for you.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Working at Wimbledon: a day in the life of a sport rehab therapist
Samantha Parsons, a leading sport rehabilitation therapist, has experience of looking after some of the British tennis players at Wimbledon. In 2022, Simon Penn interviewed her to find out more about her role, what it's like to work at Wimbledon, and how she landed her job.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Riding the carousel or partners for life: what makes an effective coach–athlete relationship in tennis?
The coach–player relationship in tennis is very important. Find out the vital factors in getting this right.

Health, Sports & Psychology
How Emma Raducanu’s parents strike the right balance: supporting your child athlete
Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open without dropping a set. Shortly after that win, Dr Jessica Pinchbeck looked at the important role her parents played in her career and life up to that point.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Tennis Grand Slams – what are they and why are there only four of them?
Simon Rea looks at the history of tennis Grand Slams and explains how they got their name.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Concussion in football: Is it time to get ahead of the game?
Recently concussion in football has become a serious issue for debate, and with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 coming-up, it's likely to be in the spotlight once again.