The football in Physical Education classes: between 'dribbles', prejudice and inequality

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the phenomenon of football in the Physical Education classes. The work springs from systematic observations carried on at a public school in Campinas, SP, in which, during almost a full school bimester, I followed the daily activities of an 8th grade group in their Physical Education classes. I could observe that football, beyond a privileged practice, was a stage for prejudice and inequality. Such facts drove me to the comprehension that the students, when understanding ‘the other’ with a stereotyped view, would eventually label her as inferior, which, consequently, did not allow a dialog on equal basis between them. Thus, I believe it necessary to understand ‘the other’ within the principle of alterity – which, more than relevant, becomes then a must.