[UNIVERSITY OF NIS ‘The scientific Journal FACTA UNIVERSITATIS. Sertes:"Physical Education’ Vol. 1, No, 1994 pp. 1-10 ‘Editor of Serios: Nonad Zivas ‘Address: Trg bratstva jjedinstvn 2 YU - 18000 "Tel (18) 28.955. Fax. (1) 24-488, SPORTS STADIUM: PRIMACY OF A GENUINE TALENT OVER "TECHNICAL WONDERS" Milivoje Matié Faculty of Physical Culture Belgrade, Yugoslavia Abstract! The paper entiled “SPORTS STADIUM; PRIMACY OF A GENUINE TALENT OVER ‘TECHNICAL WONDERS’ * iso continuction of the research into the cssone ofthe relations Be the concpts of “spor? and "tchnigue’, With respec o the Drevious one which oimed at preserving the concep! of "Yechnaque’ in the profesional Infrostruture of sport in its traditional ea (away of paforming mation) and with some essential changes ofthe basic implications in this tet the euthorrodialy changes eves (ofthe questioned relations. In this paper he sol ou 1 lod on implicit daate ons the “supporters of the theis that lchnique haa rnstered spor but without denying ion the lwhol; insted he tries to vaften its rigidity. A few examples hove ben used from the history Of building human slements os wl a from the protice of modern erhilecture end trkan grouth onpecially of building modern ty atadiuma. Inthe sey the bane medfod ‘these ts supported cleirng that sport is not only a user of technical knowledge nd technical achievements bu itis an inpirer and a medium for some of them. Key words: port, stadium, technical wonders 1 Our paper recently reported at the scientific conference on the T'echnique in Sport” has attempted: 1. to approach critically the opportune character of the previously-existing view that certain themes and problems of our profession should be summed up as technique, 2. to discuss critically the definition of the concept of technique which experts in Yugoslavia have considered a real paradigm of the referential problem for the last thirty years, and finally, 3. to redefine this problem with respect to the previously made objection and on the basis of a different theoretical concept which we have defined as intentional. In this sense and in order to understand this professional problem, that is in the procedure of defining the concept referring to the given problem the following (new) key words have been suggested such as man, (his) needs, (his) aims, motion, adjustment, capability and feature. UDK 796.01 Recived March 20, 1993Milivoje Matié ‘To the “intentional” definition of the “technique in sport” which we have suggested we have added the following line which also represents our concluding remark: "But this is not all... let alone the end of it al. 2. The relations between the concept of “sport” and “technique™ are not exhausted by the mental space opened up by the phrase “technique in sport" understood in its traditional professional sense (way of performing motion). With imagination or at least impartiality on the part of the experts it could be said that since the concept of technique is introduced in scientific discourse it only slightly indicates the referential context of the given subject-matter. Nuanely iL would be absolutely relevant (even suggested as a project for an ambitious interdisciplinary conference of experts) to submit to more scrupulous analytical optics the fact that sport has been invaded by all sorts of| technical wonders. In this sense the technique does not imply a particular way of performing motion but ingenuity of people who apply new knowledge and discoveries of the fundamental scientific research to the achievement of their practical aims in all the domains of social practice and therefore, in sport, too. The previous attitude implies a thesis about the correlation between sport and technique which would be stated in brief: technique has invaded sport, that is modern sport uses the most recent technical knowledge and technical achievement in a very comprehensive way. ‘The aim of thie paper ie not to deny the above-given thesis. However, the main motive to write this paper is certain skepticism towards the professional-theoretical implications of the above-given view concerning the relation between sport and technique having particularly in view certain rigidity ofits basic idea, that is its obvious dogmatic character. In other words, in exposing the given relation there should be more nuances in interpretati and if all the methodological conditions are fulfilled then the variant (not alternative) hypothesis should be formulated eventually. First, it should be noted that as it happens in all other simultaneous trends of various social phenomena it is necessary to start with such a treatment of this problem that its historical continuity that is its global civilization dimension shonid be given its proper place. In the concrete case this means that the idea of interaction between the concept of “sport” and "technique" - that is the social practice which these concept refer to - is not a professional and academic witticism of today; itis in fact a structure whose genesis can be traced back thousand years ago. Due to a shortage of space here this paper will concentrate only on one ‘example taken from the macro plan of this relation which is only one of many which make up phenomenology of the relation between the concept of “technique” and (modern) “sport.”One of the most representative and oldest manifestation of human mind which is also the crucial one for mankind is settlement-building or town- building. For almost 3000 (Yes, three thousand) years town-building has been careful not to neglect the human needs which modern culture defines as sport. Not only do town planning and settlement-building take these needs into consideration. They do more than that: with respect to the place, size, splendor and aesthetic features go these sports structures within the settlement as a whole they were and they still are done with due caro and respect. We should remind ourselves of what sports stadium meant for the Greek town of Epidarius; a great deal of it has survived until the prosent day. Or, think of the ancient panorama of Rome dominated by the Coliseum built in the Ist century BC which does not leave any visitors of the immortal town indifferent, Namely, only within the eontext of the previous elaboration, that is of the particular historical contextualization of sports techno-building ean we stress the fact (yes, the fact!) that a great deal of (historically, economically, culturally and spiritually prominent) towns of modern world gain their beauty (and reputation!) thanks to the human technical mind and building skill embodied in urban sports structures. ‘This fact has become obvious in the second half of this century with a tendency to become the principle - even the law - ofthe civilization matrix This is the case of the works of Kenzo Tange, the most famous contemporary Japanese architect whose project Jojogi has provided the capital of the land of the rising sun with a symbol of ils individuality (such as the Tower Bridge for London or Tour Eifel for Paris or the Opera House for Sidney). Of our interest here is the fact that Jogogi is a sports hall. And this is ‘an example where technique and technology have been really generous: In its functional aspect the hall consists of two object connected by a low tract (..) ‘The larger part contains an Olympi¢ swimming pool which turns into a skating board in winter whereas the jump-pool can be used for judo. This object receives about 15000 visitors. A special conception of the large hall s stricture - that is the rant supported hy two massive piers - has produced a plastic modification of the structure which is firmly rooted in the ground whereas its structure s dynamies tends towards the heaven. ‘The concave shape of the roof structure in its funetional aspect represents an exquisite solution for such construction having in mind a considerable space reduction and with respect to ita singular solution of the heating problem as well as that of the acoustic control In the same way and with an even more emphasized effect in the overall experience of the modern metropolis as a creation of human technical genius ‘and building skill we should approach the phenomenon of the city stadium, 3Milivoje Matié ‘The effect we are referring to here is an expression of space extension of this, focal point of the whole project (or "reproject") of the town section which it belongs to. Especially striking is the modification of traffic infrastructure according to the needs of crowded stadium function which is the social phenomenon sui generis unknown to the previous epochs, ‘And the most complete effect of the technical splendor of the modern sports stadium is its size. Its grandeur is “delightful to the eye and heart". But the magnificent size of the urban sports stadium today is not entirely a technical invention of modern age though it is clear that such a splendid technical performanes is enabled by a certain degree of technical knowledge aa well as of the achieved degree of manufacturing technology of appropriate (building) material ‘This seems to be the proper place to suggest that the theoretical consistency of the traditional thesis concerning the relation between the concepts of “technique” and “sports’ (which states that sport only uses technical achievements) begins to shatter or at least becomes too narrow to comprise certain contemporary modification of the given relation. Unlike the previously president “historical viewpoint" of the relations between sport and technical achievement the problem here could be stratified s0 that the first analytic plan should stress the distinction between human technical accomplishments (here referred to as "general" or as belonging to "a wide application range’ ) for which sport is just another possibility of application and those for which sport is a specific "birth place" of at least spiritus muvens. Our thesis suggests that in the former case and with respect to technique and technology sport is just a user whereas in the latter itis even (in the most moderate sense) a partner. Even a respected one. ‘This latter perspective of the relation between the concept of “technique” and "sport" represent a specific professional problem of the theory of physical ‘education (sport) since the reality of human exercise, training and competition is thus elevated to the sphere of specific (and respected) social (sub) culture which itxelf opens np a new space by offering inspiration to human scientific and technical achievements whic will not remain of the margin academic and other respect. ‘The fact that physical exercise (training) and sports competition satisly human needs which at this moment of human cultural development cannot be treated otherwise but as indispensable justifies the thesis that not only does sport have interest to apply techical and techological achievements for its development but science and techology themselves find their own interest in sport.Sports stadium: primacy of genuine talent over "Technical wonders Let's now proceed with the observation about the professional-theoretical relevance (of course, from the viewpoint of physical education as a profession!) of modern sports stadium's size - which is the ultimate technical achievement in its category - for the overall (not only architectural - engineering one, but also in the social, cultural, aesthetic - ergo, spiritual) experience of the towns privileged to have such stadiums, Let's start first with the reliable evaluation of an acknowledged professional authority: “The Olympic Stadium at Seoul (Olympic Games - 1988) is an example of sculptural aesthetics expressed in an architectural form. The lines of its profile structure imitate an elegant curve of porcelain vases of the Sosan dynasty... Out of 100,000 places in the auditorium two- thirds are roofed and for the spectators’ needs the most modern techological devices are installed. (6) ‘The author of this paper regrets a lot since - due to the necessity of keeping, this analysis of the problem within the basis professional framework - he does not have a chance of “letting himself go’ and writing a few sentences about these stimulating and enlightening "vibrations" which are released by a city stadium in the midst of the city panorama dominated by its silhouette; there is ‘no room here to write about the reception and “irradiation” of the entity which is defined by Mrs. Petrovié as the “sculptural aesthetics expressed in an architectural form’ (of the stadium).(7) In fact the second (underlined) part of the above - given quotation is a real key for understanding our thesis that sport is not just a user of technical - technological achievement but itis at least in one of their aspect an equal partner in their future trends and dominance. In any case, our modified thesis about the relation between technique and sport. could be: Sport has its authentic needs and their fulfillment - it if poses certain technical requirement + (mainly) does not imply the use of the ready - made technical models and technological achievements, but. instead it requires their modifieation or it detect a specific creative impulse to search for new solution - those which are often found in a considerable number of eases... Let's focus our analysis of the problem to the professional ideas generated by the phenomenon of the “stadium in Seoul", that is the second part of the above - quoted document referring to it. Namely, it is generally known that, unlike sports halls (or sports houses!) stadiums are considered “open sports fighting grounds” This is a less debated field and thus it scems natural to suppose that even experts themselves are unable to reach a consensus about the crucial concept among the suggested ones (that is , "open", "sport ‘ating grounds" namely the one which carries the immanent semantic substance of the general concept of the "sports stadium’:Milivoje Matié It is not necessary to be too shrewd to find out that the reaction to this ‘question mostly refer to the eoncept of the fighting grounds" Before reaching a more profound understanding of this problem the author was also one of those who considered “the fighting grounds" as the key dominant of the concept of the "sports stadium". After a thoroughful consideration, however, he came to realize that "the fighting grounds” were ‘more or less prominent..whereas the adjective “open was more and more relevant! Applied to the example of the Seoul stadium my opinion eventually was formulated in the following way: As a specific and distinct achievement of the human technical genius the Olympic Stadium in Seoul has become what it is today mainly due to the fact that it was designed as “open sports fighting grounds". We should modestly admit ; the above - given thesis is unexpected and brave and there will be more than one reader who will experience it as a king of professional provocation! Be that as it may, it has to be theoretically supported and if necessary, it has to be fully defended In this context itis useful to have one more look at the second part of the paper by Mrs, Petrovié about the Seoul Stadium and (unlike in the original paper) underline or even add an exclamation mark afer the "roofed" since this symbolic punctuation has a very important meaning here. What are we trying to read into the text by adding an exclamation? What are we trying to read after all? What is to be stressed as relevant. for our problem? First, today sports stadium (especially those which are technically the most impressive ones) owe their technical splendor to the fact that they are primarily auditoriums, not the fighting grounds. In other words this means that the sports fighting grounds without social (traditional cultural, national and primarily economic) conditions which would turn them into mass auditoriums have no chance of becoming technical masterpieces. (This idea should be also elaborated in some other paper with respect to the phenomenon of sport. itself. This time it is just noted as a memento, It seems possible to develop consistently an idea which, once fully explored, will eventually stress the fact that sport is after all a competition between two individual or collective subjects only if observed by the third party.) ‘However, by far the most important message of the additional graphic data concerning the above-quoted opinion about the Seoul stadium-the most important, of course, in the context of our thesis that technique has not “swallowed” sport-is projected in the adjective "roofed’ and this is the reason why this word is followed by an exclamation mark. Why? ‘a. In our opinion, technical-aesthetically (creative) aspect. of our answer could be expressed in the following way: technical knowledge, choice of 6Sports stadium: primacy of genuine talent over "Technical wonders’ ‘adequate materials and capabilities of an appropriate building operational force have reached such a high degree nowadays that it is Possible to solve the problem of covering the whole stadium if not otherwise than by positioning supporting piers as has already been done in the construction of sports halls. However, there could be no doubt that. in this ‘way the possibilities of realizing special aestetic, plastic and sculptural values of the technical solution of the roof structure would be considerably reduced, Therefore, this is not only the matter of the opinion as suggested by Mrs. Petrovié that the Seoul stadium has “an elegant curve of poreelain vases’ it is well known that a vase is an attractive aesthetic object exactly due to the absence of a cover! ‘The real aesthetically meaning of the vases beauty, of its coverlessness should be looked for in the sculptures of More and Arp! Namely, the anthological value of their works, that is the depth of the aesthetic impression left on spectators springs from the holes" or "cavities" in the basic material they were cut from or earved out of ! Applied to the Seoul stadium this observation about the aesthetics of emptiness’, about the “beauty of a large gaping hole’ leads to the conclusion that this object is so highly estimated and appreciated as a splendid creation of the human technical mind since it has preserved a human measure while expressing the achieved technical skill in the critical instance when (as in the project ilselD "the world of auditorium" and "the world of fighting grounds" meet. In other words, the ingenuity of the stadiums technical solution is the fact that only the auditorium is roofed (attention: "roofed but not "covered" - even not the whole of it, just “two- thirds"), that is in the fact that the stadium has remained a "large hole’ distinct for its beauty and its size and whatever is in it which could be (superficially) considered as "empty" but which is in fact gaping. And thus a view down the "hole" of the Seoul Olympic stadium can give us a glimpse of (at least) one of the sports "souls", that is we can finally understand the thesis that this stadium has been design by the human technical mind but his creator who really breathed life into it waste the "genuine sporting spirit" », Fundamental- professional (sporting) aspect also gives an answer to the question of the reasons why such an enormous meaning is attributed to the word "roofed" (with respect to the Soe! stadium). It springs from the same basic spiritual horizon as the previous (technical-as-thetical) one. However, it is epistemological necessary to find such an explanation of the field of "aesthetics" (that is "of beauty") and which will approach the epiphenomenon of the “hole” emptiness") in the objects form as a fullness in the sporting part (which inspired the project in the first place) whereas the suggested “gaping emptiness" will be connected with the symbol of “depth” of this part which requires to be carefully thought out. This is where the basic is of the 7Milivoje Matié very brave altitude we have taken and which in the phrase “open sporting grounds" (stadium) gives the full immanent semantic and professional substance to the word “open” an not to the “sporting” or fighting grounds" as is usually done. ‘The idea of pondering deeply over the fact stadiums remained "open to the skies’ despite a gigantic progress of building techniques is not a speculative or rhetorical question marginal for the professional discourse. “Maybe this very pondering will help us to find an answer to the question why the "European football” in the American sports "halls" has withered away along with its blooming all over the world wherever it is played in the open. It is obvious that the "openness" of the sports stadiums makes the s0- called "hall competitions in athletics’ only a compulsory meteorological intermezzo: this opinion has persisted for daces; "the queen of sport cannot be imagined under the roof no matter how splendid itis, Finally, “movement towards a sheltered structure’, that is technical protection from cold, rain, wind and other natural "disasters" has not turned skating and hockey-on-ice and then magnificent "icy palaces" into modern “sports Mecca's’ of the Western civilization in winter. The whole sport has turned this way since it is all-in-the-open. Namely, moderr skiing phenomenon does only imply watching the skiing competitions but it implies ‘living with skiing’ for a few days including a certain period of time devoted to an en passant watching the "skiing circus’. For us it is most relevant to traffic infrastructure) in general is technically (and civilizingly) the most perfect (sports) stadium-an open one, of course, This and many other sporting "pilgrimages to the open fields" which are not mentioned here and which include hundreds of thousands of “sports pilgrims" represent the other side of an "escape from traps’ shadowing the lives of the inhabitants of today's megalopolis. It is essential to note the above-mentioned "traps" do nol only refer to negative physical implications (uch as damages of living in an enclosed and confined space) or health- damaging ones (lack of the sunshine and fresh air) but. they imply more than that. An "empty" space above the stadium is full of human (ontholostical) ‘meanings. Otherwise the French expression " PLEIN AIR" (literally "full air’, an ‘open space) would not be regarded as a complete human culture on a universal scale, "Plain air" - was originally inaugurated and still persists as a recognized trend in the arts (especially in painting) but it has gradually evolved in a specific worldview and in a specific individual and social philosophy of life It may appear exaggerated to develop of the “stadium gaping open towards the skies’ as a means of the outer space (or infinity within oneself). However, 8Sports stadium: primacy of genuine talent over "Tec! Tt may appear exaggerated to develop of the ‘stadium gaping open towards the skies" as a means of the outer space (or infinity within oneself). However, it is hard to imagine that in the recent future the modern world will celebrate the beginnings and endings of the Olympic Games (these “erystallization's’ of sport as the only world event viewed by the whole population of the planet Earth) at a stadium which would belong to the category of the “closed sports objects” even thought it may technically be a splendid "sports cathedral", In a word, widl open grounds are the root and the fruit of sport. 3. In order to justify the title of this paper we should eventually add one short remark So far our reader does not recall seeing the figures "I" and "2" at the beginning of this paper. ‘To remind him of them means to stress the fact that these two sections are related to the same topic seen from two different, ‘viewpoints (relation between “sport” and "technique" which spring from each other and which interact due to their basic theses so that it is reasonable to conclude that they belong to the particular theoretical entity or to an individual professional project which is far from being exhausted by every thing said here or by the same author. ‘Therefore, we have to announce publicly our new responsibility: a new ‘attempt to define the relations between "sport" and "technique! from an angle different from the one used here. This “other” angle may appear paradoxical but it will be based on the following presumption: “the basic ontological structure (being) of sport does not depend on the human technical and technological development, though the manifestations (embodiments) of this structure carry the stamp of the social-historical growth and the scientific and technical achievements in which they manifested themselves." NOTES |, Matis, M, NEKOLIKE DUBIOZE POJMA ‘TRHNIKA U SPORTU, Fokulletfiidhe hulture Beograd, 21. novembre 1992. 2, Tae eameny of technique in spurt ensures certain way of performing motion. Bee: Kurelié,W OSNOVI SORTA I SPORTSKOG TRENINGA, Sporiske jie, Boogred, 1967, p. 130. 8. The concep of technique in sport implies «capability of reliing certain goals by adjusting one's Becy tothe models of movements made ine choven spor.Milivoje Matié Thi, p66. Candrlnad end elated by M, M 7 Most regretable isthe fact that it wos technically impossible o add ponoramic view of the (Olympic stadium to tis paper 8. Unlike the nouns "emptiness" and “hole whick have no corresponding verb in Serbia the nown "gap" (Serbian: “jap! has one. And when ii eid that something "a gaping” then it surely Impl that if a not hallow and thet it cniaine SOMETHING wthin What i 18 which Daclden within the gop It 8a lang story warting from times immemorial and ending with let say Dostoeasy. STADION: PRIMAT ISKONI U "CUDU OD TEHNIKE" Rad pod naslovom "Stadion: primat iskoni u udu od tehnike" je nastavak istrativanja suodnoSenja pojmova “sporti "tehnika’. U odnosu na onaj koji mu Je prethodio { koji je nastojao da pojam "tehnika’ u strutnoj infrastrukturi sporta zadréi u tradicionalnom zmagenju (naéin izvodenja kretanja) iako sa niekim bitnim izmenama osnovne konotaeije - u ovom tekstu autor radikalno ‘menja optiku opservacije odnosa pojmova " tchnika" i ‘sport’. U radu se vodi Jedan implicitni disput sa zastupnicima teze da je "tehnika oviadala savremenim sportom’, ali ne sa ciljem da se ta teza nagelno ospori, veé samo da se ubladi njena rigidnost. Na nekoliko primera, kako ic istorije izgradnje YJudskih gradekih naseobina, tako i iz iskustava savremene arhitekture i urbanizma nastoji se - na modelu gradskog sportskog stadiona - osnaZiti varijantna tera po kojoj sport nije samo korisnik tehniékih zmanja i tehnolotkih dostignuéa voé je i inspirator i modijum nekih od njih 10