Il corpo sportivo come contenuto critico-riflessivo per la formazione degli insegnanti di educazione fisica

Abstract

Abstract – The article emphasizes the urgent need for a radical overhaul in the training of physical education teachers to address the complex intersections between sport, culture, and identity. Sport has long served as a conduit for the transmission of capitalist and neoliberal ideologies, which have a significant impact on contemporary society and the way we perceive the “athletic body”. This body is influenced by a range of ideologies, from male dominance over females, to ethnic and gender stereotypes, to eugenics, to commodification, and cultural colonization. Current training for physical education teachers often neglects a critical analysis of these themes, resulting in a pedagogical approach that imposes “strong” identities rather than celebrating diversity. The article argues that it is crucial to incorporate a deep understanding of the ideological and pedagogical apparatus governing the sociocultural construction of the athletic body into the teacher training curriculum. In conclusion, the article proposes key pedagogical principles for developing a more critical and emancipatory training curriculum, also suggesting, by way of example, some critical-reflective activities for physical education teachers.