Ethics in sport

• Amateurism

  Participation in sport for the love of it, receiving no financial gain; it's based on the concept of athleticism
• Athleticism

  A fanatical devotion to sport involving high levels of physical endeavour and moral integrity
• Sportsmanshop

  Conforming to the rules, spirit and etiquette of a sport
• Simulation

  Trying to deceive an official by over-acting for example, diving to win a free kick
• Coting

  Players can be cited for dangerous play, whether they are seen by the referee or not
• Gamesmanship

  Bending the rules and stretching them to their absolute limit without getting caught; using whatever dubious methods possible to achieve the desired result
• Positive deviance

  Behaviour which is outside the norms of society but with no intent of harm or break the rules. It involves over-adherence to the norms or expectations of society e.g. overtraining or competing despite injury.
• Negative deviance

  Behaviour that goes against the norms and has a detrimental effect on individuals and society in general.

  E.g. taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs, deliberately fouling an opponent through aggression, match-fixing and diving to win a penalty or free-kick.
• Give three ways in which elite level sports performers fail to adopt the sportsmanship ethic; and identify three ways in which sportsmanship is encouraged and maintained in high level/elite sport.

  Fail to adopt sportsmanship:

  Time wasting

  Cheating e.g. diving

  Refusing to shake hands

  Arguing with officials.

  
  

  Encouraged:

  NGB campaigns e.g. FA Respect

  Awards for fair play e.g. West Ham Europa League

  Technology to reach correct decisions, cited after matches.

  Introduction of new rules.

  Punishment e.g. red card.

  Rigorous drug testing.
• Identify two similarities and two differences between gamesmanship and deviance in sport.

  Similarities:

  Both are more evident in pro sport where a win-at-all cost ethic dominates.

  Both conflict with amateur ethics/sportsmanship.

  Both lower the status of sport.

  
  

  Differences:

  Gamesmanship is pushing rules to the limit e.g. time wasting.

  Deviance is cheating e.g. match fixing.

  Gamesmanship is increasingly coached whereas deviance is not.
• The Lombardian ethic is a dominant sporting ethic in 21st century elite sport. How is such a 'win at all costs' ethic displayed in sporting contests?

  No drawn games, always a winner in basketball, american football.

  Managers/coaches fired if unsuccessful.

  High amounts of deviance e.g. violence, over-aggression, doping.

  Media praise for winners, negativity for losers.
• Using examples, explain the terms positive and negative deviance.

  Positive deviance - behaviour which is outside the norms of society but with no intent to harm or break the rules. It involves over-adherence to the norms/expectations of society e.g. competing when injured, training when injured, unintentionally injuring an opponent when striving to win.

  
  

  Negative deviance - behaviour which goes against the norms and has a detrimental effect on individuals and society in general e.g. taking drugs, aggressively harming an opponent on purpose, match fixing, diving to win a penalty.
• Which of the following statements best describes an example of gamesmanship?

  a) Shaking hands with an opponent at the end of a game.

  b) Arguing with the officials at the end of the a game.

  c) Time wasting at the end of a game.

  d) Applauding the fans at the end of a game.

  (1)

  c) Time wasting at the end of a game.
• Using examples, explain the difference between sporstmanship and gamesmanship. (4)

  Sportsmanship = fair play, playing by unwritten rules, code of ethics e.g. giving ball back if opponents kick ball out of play due to injury to one of your team.

  
  

  Gamesmanship = stretch the rules to absolute limit e.g. time-wasting.
• Give reasons why an elite performer may display behaviour which is deemed unacceptable by coaches, managers and officials. (3)

  Pressures from sponsors to continue winning.

  Financial rewards.

  Fear of losing e.g. job/contract.

  Retaliation e.g. performer tackled, crowd jeer.

  Poor decision by official.

  Win-at-all-costs ethic.
• Outline strategies sporting authorities such as NGB's could use to encourage higher standards of individual performer behaviour. (3)

  Booking/sending off on field.

  Fine/ban off field.

  Club fine/points deducted.

  Code of conduct for players.

  Improve officiating via use of technology.

  Cite player after game for foul play.

  Fair play awards and campaigns.
• How is amateurism still evident in modern-day British sport?

  Fair play/sportsmanship - positively encouraged and promoted e.g. fair play awards in football, shaking of hands prior to and at the end of sporting contests, Olympic ideal.

  Sports such as rugby union maintained amateurism until late 20th century and still have codes of conduct e.g. calling referee 'sir'.
• Olympic Oath

  Baron de Coubertin, founder of Olympic Games.

  Began in 1920.

  Promise made by one athlete on behalf of all athletes, one judge of all officials, one coach of all coaches.

  Respect and abide by rules, no drugs or doping, spirit of sportsmanship.

  
  

  Relevant because it is still viewed as a festival of sport with fair play and sportsmanship.

  However, doping evident, leaving the relevance of the oath in question. Win-at-all costs and gamesmanship increasingly prominent.
• Sportsmanship

  Playing by unwritten rules to a high code of ethics.

  Fairness, self-control, respect.

  Etiquette, positive spirit.

  E.g. pro footballers returning ball to opposition once they kicked it out for an injured player. 'Good grace' when returning to former clubs.
• Why is sportsmanship under attack in the modern-day?

  Winning increasingly important, teams stretch rules to limit e.g time wasting.

  Simulation to unfairly win a penalty.

  Questioning officials, refuse to shake hands.
• How can sporstmanship be encouraged?

  NGB campaigns to promote sportsmanship/fair play e.g. FIFA Respect.

  Fair play awards e.g. West Ham Euro, encouraging role models.

  Technology to help officials reach correct decisions.

  New NGB rules to promote fair play.

  Punishing foul play during and after event.

  Positive role models to promote fair play.

  Rigorous drug testing to ensure fairness.
• Examples of gamesmanship in elite-level modern-day sport

  Delaying play at a restart to get back in defence by keeping possession of ball.

  Time-wasting when ahead to ensure victory.

  Verbally sledging opponents to distract them.

  Psyching out an opponent at a pre-match press conference.

  Taking an injury time-out when not needed to upset concentration or rhythm of opponent.

  Deception of an official to gain an advantage e.g. over-appealing a penalty in football.

  Over-reacting to a challenge in a bid to put pressure on a referee to book or send off an opponent.
• Win ethic

  Second not an option.

  Outcome all that matters.

  (fake blood example).

  Cheating e.g. Maradona.

  
  

  More evident due to:

  No drawn games in basketball, finals.

  Managers and coaches fired if unsuccessful.

  High amounts of deviance e.g. violence, over-aggression, doping.

  Media praise for winners, media negativity for losers.