Observation of public action and doctoral internship: Methodological opportunities and challenges in the field of sports

This article is based on a doctoral work in sports science and technique (STAPS), focusing on the interplay between local sports policies and the strategies of sports federations. It examines the means of observing a unique subject—public sports initiatives—under specific conditions: the completion of a thesis funded by a university doctoral contract. The contribution presents certain investigative techniques used to navigate the challenges of accessing political and sports organizations (hosting conferences, participating in committees, disseminating research in professional spaces, etc.). It partly revisits the conception of a methodological innovation called the “doctoral internship,” which allowed the doctoral student to immerse themselves in a local community. The article discusses these different positions, demonstrating that the status of a contractual doctoral student can, when utilized strategically by the researcher, generate methodological opportunities to observe public sports initiatives in the making.