Schimank, UweUweSchimank2021-11-162021-11-1620051613-8171https://media.suub.uni-bremen.de/handle/elib/520310.26092/elib/1000From the point of view of sociological theories of societal differentiation, modern sport is one of about a dozen differentiated sub-systems of modern society. This analytical perspective raises the question of the systemic autonomy of modern sport. This question shall be dealt with by distinguishing further the two differentiated second-order sub-systems of sport: top athletics and leisure sport. Whereas for top athletics a dangerous autonomy – in the final end, dangerous to itself - can be diagnosed, leisure sport is characterized by an endangered autonomy. Interestingly, coping with these two very different problems of sub-systemic autonomy relies on a mutually legitimating double interchange among top athletics and popular sports. Thus, both sub-systems of modern sport cannot exist without and separated from each other.enAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Germanyhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/de/top athleticsleisure sportsocietal differentiationsub-systemic autonomy300Artikel/Aufsatzurn:nbn:de:gbv:46-elib52034