From informal practice to federation – and back? The frustrated institutionalisation of street workout in Dagestan

This article examines the institutionalisation of street workout in the Republic of Dagestan as a case of an incomplete, ultimately frustrated, transformation of a grassroots lifestyle sport into a formalised organisational structure. Drawing on neo-institutional theory, particularly the concept of institutional isomorphism, the study analyses how mimetic, normative, and coercive pressures shaped the movement’s trajectory. The empirical basis consists of qualitative data collected during five fieldwork trips between 2016 and 2021, including 30 biographical interviews, participant observation, and analysis of digital and media sources. The findings reveal a stage-based process in which street workout evolved from informal peer-based communities into a federative structure but ultimately failed to achieve stable integration into the state-regulated sport system. While mimetic and normative isomorphism facilitated the adoption of organisational forms, competition formats, and training practices, coercive pressures linked to state dependence did not result in sustained access to all resources. As a consequence, the movement experienced organisational weakening, fragmentation, and partial commercialisation. The article argues that isomorphic change does not necessarily lead to successful institutionalisation and demonstrates how structural constraints of the post-Soviet sport governance system limit the development of grassroots sports. The identified trajectory may be indicative of broader patterns affecting street workout communities across the post-Soviet space.