“Parked buses” and playing through pockets of space
Navigating the challenge of access in researching elite footballers
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24230277 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ikechukwu Ejekwumadu (0000-0002-1211-5791, Institute of Sports Science, University of Tuebingen) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-15 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-09 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Research Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1443-9883 • E-ISSN: 1448-0980 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/qrj-02-2026-0100 |
| OpenAlex | W7221049758 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 20 |
Purpose Recruiting professional footballers presents a major methodological challenge in elite sports research, as elite football environments are often suspicious of “outsiders” and may perceive researchers as intrusive. This paper reflects on the difficulties encountered while researching elite West African footballers in Germany and examines the strategies adopted to gain access to and recruit participants within this hard-to-reach group. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on a reflexive analysis of the author's fieldwork experience. It outlines recruitment strategies including attempts to work through formal gatekeepers, engagement with strategically positioned outsiders, snowball sampling and the use of alternative data sources to compensate for limited direct access. These experiences are situated within broader debates on positionality and structural inequalities that shape access to elite sport research sites. Findings Access to elite footballers was actively defended through gatekeeping, professional hierarchies and unequal power relations. Recruitment proved non-linear and negotiated, shaped by positionality and the political economy of elite sport. While formal approaches rarely secured entry, they exposed how authority and risk are managed. Access emerged through relational shifts, strategically placed outsiders and limited snowballing, highlighting its contingent and intersectional character. Originality/value The paper reconceptualizes access as relational, integrating positionality and intersectionality into elite sport research.
Gatekeeping · Intersectionality · participant recruitment · political economy of sport · positionality · power relations in sport · professional football players · Snowball sampling · Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods · Physical Education and Sports Studies · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
African football migration
Generalizability in qualitative research
Negotiating Positionality as a Student and Researcher in Africa
Studying professional women footballers
The roles of epistemology and decoloniality in addressing power dynamics in university education
I get used to it, I train through it, even though there are some days you cry through it
The transnational prosocial activities of elite African footballers in their communities of origin
Toward Active Reflexivity
The Work of Professional Football
Researching Professional Footballers
A Critical Approach to Interviewing Academic Elites
| Highly cited | No |
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