6.3 - Ethics in Sport

Question 1

What is amateurism?

Answer 1

A nineteenth-century code of sporting ethics emphasizing participation for love, not monetary gain.

Amateurism developed among the upper and middle classes during the Victorian era.

Question 2

What are the key features of amateurism?

Answer 2

• Socially acceptable behavior in sport
• Playing to clear rules
• High moral values including fair play
• Importance of participation over winning
• Lack of financial incentive for participation

Question 3

What is the Olympic oath?

Answer 3

A promise made by an athlete, a judge, and a coach to respect the rules and commit to doping-free sport during the Olympic Games.

Written by Baron de Coubertin, it was first taken at the 1920 Summer Olympics.

Question 4

Who wrote the Olympic oath?

Answer 4

Baron de Coubertin

Question 5

What does the Olympic oath commit athletes to?

Answer 5

• Respecting the rules
• Competing without doping
• Upholding the spirit of sportsmanship

Question 6

True or False: The Olympic oath remains relevant despite instances of doping.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

What is sportsmanship?

Answer 7

Playing by the rules with fairness, self-control, and respect for opponents and officials.

It includes maintaining high levels of etiquette in sporting contests.

Question 8

List three examples of sportsmanship.

Answer 8

• Returning the ball for an injured player
• Cricketers walking before being given out
• Not celebrating against a former club

Question 9

What is gamesmanship?

Answer 9

The art of winning by cunning means without breaking the rules, often involving stretching the etiquette of the game.

Gamesmanship blurs the line between clever play and cheating.

Question 10

Give an example of gamesmanship in cricket.

Answer 10

Greg Chappell’s underarm bowling incident in 1981 against New Zealand.

Question 11

What is the win ethic?

Answer 11

The belief that winning is the only outcome that matters, often referred to as the ‘Lombardian ethic’.

Named after Vince Lombardi, who emphasized that winning is an all-time priority.

Question 12

Define positive deviance in sports.

Answer 12

Behavior that goes against societal norms but involves no intent to harm, such as over-training or competing while injured.

Question 13

Define negative deviance in sports.

Answer 13

Behavior that goes against societal norms and has detrimental effects, such as cheating or doping.

Question 14

Fill in the blank: The code of __________ was dominant among the upper and middle classes in the 19th century.

Answer 14

amateurism

Question 15

What are two ways sportsmanship is encouraged in elite sports?

Answer 15

• NGB campaigns promoting fair play
• Awards for fair play to provide positive role models

Question 16

What is simulation in sports?

Answer 16

Trying to deceive an official by over-acting, such as diving to win a free kick.

Question 17

What does the term ‘citing’ refer to in sports?

Answer 17

Players being reported and investigated for dangerous play, regardless of whether seen by the referee.

Question 18

What is a key difference between gamesmanship and cheating?

Answer 18

Gamesmanship involves bending the rules without breaking them, while cheating involves outright violations of the rules.

Question 19

What example illustrates the win ethic in modern sports?

Answer 19

• No drawn games in certain sports
• Coaches being fired for poor performance
• High levels of deviance like violence and doping

Question 20

What is positive deviance in sports?

Answer 20

Positive deviance involves over-adherence or over-conformity to the norms and expectations of society.

Examples include over-training or competing while injured.

Question 21

Provide an example of positive deviance.

Answer 21

Retired marathon runner Paula Radcliffe competing in the 2004 Athens Olympics despite being injured.

This led to her pulling out of the race.

Question 22

What characterizes negative deviance in sports performers?

Answer 22

Negative deviance involves under-conformity to the norms and expectations of society.

It often leads to actions like cheating and lack of moral restraint.

Question 23

List examples of negative deviance in sports.

Answer 23

• Taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs
• Deliberately fouling or harming an opponent
• Accepting a bribe to lose
• Match-fixing
• Diving to win a penalty or free kick

These actions violate the ethics of sport.

Question 24

What is the impact of the win-at-all-costs attitude in modern sports?

Answer 24

It encourages unethical behaviors among performers, leading to actions that violate the norms of sport.

Example: Players deliberately getting sent off to avoid suspension.

Question 25

What are the key ethical terms related to sports?

Answer 25

Amateurism, Olympic oath, sportsmanship, negative deviancy, gamesmanship, win ethic.

Understanding these terms is crucial for discussing ethics in sports.

Question 26

True or False: Positive deviance and negative deviance are the same.

Answer 26

False.

Positive deviance relates to over-conformity, while negative deviance refers to under-conformity.

Question 27

Fill in the blank: Negative deviance includes actions such as _______ and match-fixing.

Answer 27

cheating

Question 28

Explain the difference between sportsmanship and gamesmanship.

Answer 28

Sportsmanship is ethical behavior and respect for opponents, while gamesmanship involves bending the rules to gain an advantage.

Examples include fair play versus time-wasting tactics.

Question 29

What strategies can national governing bodies use to promote higher standards of behavior?

Answer 29

• Education on ethics
• Strict enforcement of rules
• Incentives for good behavior
• Punishments for unethical actions

These strategies help uphold integrity in sports.

Question 30

Identify two examples of positive deviance.

Answer 30

• Competing while injured
• Over-training to achieve excellence

Both examples show excessive commitment to performance.

Question 31

Identify two examples of negative deviance.

Answer 31

• Taking steroids
• Match-fixing

These actions undermine the integrity of sports.

Question 32

Using examples, explain the terms positive and negative deviance.

Answer 32

Positive deviance is striving for excellence beyond norms, while negative deviance is cheating or unethical behavior.

Examples include Paula Radcliffe’s injury and doping scandals.