Ethics in sport

Introduction to Ethics in Sport

Welcome to one of the most interesting parts of your AQA A Level PE course! While much of your study focuses on how the body moves or how we learn skills, this chapter looks at the behavior and morals behind the game. We are exploring the "unwritten rules" of sport—why some athletes are praised for their honesty while others are criticized for "bending" the rules. Understanding these concepts is vital for Paper 2, Section C, and will help you analyze why sport looks the way it does today.

1. Amateurism: Playing for the Love of the Game

The concept of amateurism comes from the 19th-century "gentleman amateur." In this era, sport was played by the upper classes who had plenty of free time and money. They didn't play for prizes or cash; they played for the internal satisfaction and the "glory" of the sport.

Key Characteristics of Amateurism:

• No financial gain: Amateurs are not paid to play.
• High moral code: Emphasis on "fair play" and following the spirit of the rules, not just the letter of the law.
• Participation over winning: The famous saying "it's the taking part that counts" is the heart of amateurism.
• Social elite: Historically, it was associated with the upper and middle classes (though today, amateur sport is open to everyone).

Quick Note: While professional sport (where people are paid) dominates our TV screens, amateurism still exists today in local Sunday league football, club cricket, and the lower tiers of many sports.

2. The Olympic Oath

The Olympic Oath is a symbolic promise made by an athlete, a coach, and an official during the opening ceremony of every Olympic Games. It was first introduced in 1920.

The oath reinforces the values of sportsmanship and fair play. By taking the oath, athletes promise to compete without doping or drugs, to respect the regulations, and to participate in the "true spirit of sportsmanship."

Why does it matter? It serves as a reminder that the Olympics are meant to be about more than just winning; they are about international unity and moral excellence.

3. Sportsmanship vs. Gamesmanship

These two terms are opposites, and examiners love to ask you to compare them. Think of them as the "Good" and the "Sneaky" sides of sport.

Sportsmanship

This is fair, honest, and polite behavior. It involves following both the rules and the "spirit" of the game. Even if it costs you the win, a "good sport" does the right thing.

Examples:
- Kicking the ball out of play in football when an opponent is injured.
- Shaking hands with the opponent and the official regardless of the result.
- Recalling a batsman in cricket if you know the ball didn't actually hit the bat.

Gamesmanship

This is the art of bending the rules to gain an unfair advantage without actually breaking them. It is often described as "pushing the limits."

Examples:
- Time-wasting: Taking a long time to take a goal kick when your team is winning.
- Sledging: Verbally distracting or insulting an opponent in cricket to make them lose focus.
- Tactical fouls: Tripping a player in midfield to stop a counter-attack (knowing you will only get a yellow card).
- Psychological warfare: Standing in an opponent's "space" or "faking" an injury to break the opponent's momentum.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't confuse gamesmanship with cheating. Cheating is breaking a clear rule (like using a banned drug). Gamesmanship is staying just inside the rules but acting in a way that goes against the spirit of fair play.

4. The Win Ethic

The win ethic is often called the "Lombardian Ethic" (after American Football coach Vince Lombardi, who famously said, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing").

In modern high-stakes sport, the pressure to win is massive because of sponsorship deals, media pressure, and the desire for "gold" at any cost. This "win at all costs" mentality is the polar opposite of the original amateur ideal.

Evidence of the Win Ethic in sport:

• No drawn games (using "sudden death" or penalty shootouts to ensure a winner).
• Managers being sacked after only a few losses.
• High levels of deviance (which we will look at next) to ensure victory.

5. Deviance in Sport

Deviance refers to behavior that falls outside the norms or "accepted standards" of a society or a sport. In PE 7582, we split this into two types: Positive and Negative.

Positive Deviance

This is when an athlete over-conforms to the norms of sport. They want to succeed so badly that they do things that are technically "deviant" (not normal) but are driven by a positive desire to be the best.

Examples:
- Training so hard that you cause yourself an overuse injury.
- Playing while injured (e.g., taking a painkilling injection to play in a final).
- Showing extreme levels of dedication that might be seen as unhealthy in normal life.

Negative Deviance

This is behavior that breaks the rules and the law. It is motivated by a desire to win at all costs or by a lack of moral restraint.

Examples:
- Taking performance-enhancing drugs (doping).
- Deliberately fouling an opponent to injure them.
- Match-fixing or taking bribes to lose on purpose.
- Engaging in violence on the pitch.

Cross-reference: You will learn more about the specific causes and consequences of these behaviors in the "Violence in sport" and "Drugs in sport" chapters later in this section.

Summary: Key Takeaways

Don't worry if this seems like a lot of terms! Just remember this simple scale:

Amateurism/Sportsmanship (The "Old School" - Fair play, for the love of the game) \(\longleftrightarrow\) Win Ethic/Gamesmanship (The "Modern School" - Win at all costs, bend the rules).

Quick Review Box:
1. Amateurism: Playing for the love of the game, no pay.
2. Sportsmanship: Playing fairly and respecting the opponent.
3. Gamesmanship: Bending the rules to get an advantage.
4. Positive Deviance: Over-training or playing through injury (too much of a good thing).
5. Negative Deviance: Breaking the rules (drugs, violence, cheating).