Dr. Thooris and the morphology of the athlete
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This article describes the life and work of the French doctor Thooris. Through his writings and anthropotechnical experiments, Thooris expanded the application of morphology to the world of sport. After becoming involved with the “Fédération française d’athlétisme,” he published his seminal publication, La Vie par le Stade, in which he established criteria for an efficient athletic morphology. Furthermore, the author idealized a superior body type which he called “le Franc.” Based more on fantasy than science, this idealization revealed the trend toward eugenics, which progressively developed into racist ideology during the Occupation. Ultimately, Thooris’ approach provides evidence of eugenics in sports, a sector in which natural selection was more readily accepted.
Réseaux sociaux