The positive effects of sport – An attempt to characterise and identify them[Les effets positifs du sport – Essai de caractérisation et de recensement]

In economics, many effects can be identified. Some are the result of an economic agent's adaptation or reaction to an event that affects it. Others are desired by the actor who is at the origin of them, most often because he can derive a benefit from them. Still others arise when an activity provides a free benefit to outsiders (positive externalities). Sport is an area of activity where these effects are many and varied. However, it is not always easy to identify and distinguish between them. Based on more than 40 years of observant participation, the aim of this contribution is to carry out this work and then to validate the effects identified through a literature search. By proceeding in this way, ten effects belonging to each of the three categories mentioned can be identified. Although there are four main limitations to this approach, it is of interest in a number of ways: five are applied and one is more conceptual.