Ethics in sport

Question 1

What are anabolic steroids?

Answer 1

Artificially produced hormones e.g. THG.

Question 2

Why are anabolic steroids used?

Answer 2

Aid in the storage of protein and promote muscle growth and development of muscle tissue.
This increases strength and power.
They also lead to less fat in the muscle, so a lean body weight.
They can improve the body’s capacity to train for longer at higher intensity and decrease fatigue.

Question 3

What are the side effects of anabolic steroids?

Answer 3

Liver damage, heart and immune system problems.
Acne and behaviour changes such as aggression, paranoia and mood swings.

Question 4

What are beta blockers?

Answer 4

Help to calm individual down and decrease adrenaline by preventing it from binding to nerve receptors.

Question 5

Why are beta blockers used?

Answer 5

They can increase accuracy and precision by steadying nerves.
They keep heart rate low and decrease the tremble in hands.
They widen arteries, allowing increased blood flow and reducing involuntary muscle spasms.

Question 6

What are the side effects of beta blockers?

Answer 6

Tiredness due to low blood pressure and slower heart rate.
This will effect aerobic capacity.

Question 7

What is EPO?

Answer 7

A natural hormone produced by the kidneys to increase red blood cells.
It can be artificially manufactured to increase haemoglobin levels.

Question 8

Why is EPO used?

Answer 8

Stimulates red blood cell production which increases oxygen carrying capacity.
This increases the amount of work performed.
It therefore increases endurance and delays fatigue.

Question 9

What are the side effects of EPO?

Answer 9

Can cause blood clotting, strokes and even death.

Question 10

What are the social reasons for drug taking?

Answer 10

Win at all cost attitude.
The fame and fortune attached to success.
High pressure to win from coaches, family and the media.
Lack of effective deterrents and the belief of getting away with it.
Poor role models that set a bad example of taking drugs is an acceptable thing.

Question 11

What are the psychological reasons for PEDs?

Answer 11

Some may use beta-blockers to steady their nerves where fine motor control is needed.
Others may use anabolic steroids to increase their aggression.
Stimulants can be used to increase confidence and belief to succeed.

Question 12

What are the implications of drug taking on the sport?

Answer 12

It threatens the integrity and spirit of the sport.
It is cheating and affects the reputation, and decreases interest in it.
Certain sports are strongly associated with drug cheats - Armstrong in cycling.
This creates suspicion that clouds the success of ‘clean athletes’.
It also provides bad role models and develops attitudes that one can’t compete if they don’t take drugs.

Question 13

What are the implications of drug taking on the performer?

Answer 13

It can bring fame and fortune if you avoid detection.
But it provides negative role models, who set bad examples.
It can be very damaging to the performers health.
Athletes following a positive test may lose their good reputation, impacting future career prospects - loss of income and sponsorship deals.
Can lead to legal action - banned and stripped of medals.
Can lead to social isolation from peers.

Question 14

What are the arguments supporting drug legalisation - ineffective?

Answer 14

The battle is expensive and time consuming.
Drugs are easy to access and difficult to eliminate - money spent better elsewhere.
Drug testing is not always effective.
Blurred lines in drugs vs legal supplements.
Drugs are sometimes taken accidentally.

Question 15

What are the arguments supporting drug legislation?

Answer 15

Sacrifices made by performers is a personal choice.
If everyone takes drugs, the playing field levels, and standard increases.
If drug taking is properly monitored then health risks can be reduced.
Athletes do not ask to be role models.

Question 16

What are the arguments against legalising drug taking?

Answer 16

Health risks and bad side effects.
Bad role models for the young.
Gives a negative image for certain sports.
Pressure to take drugs increases.
Negative consequences if caught doping - loss of sponsorship.

Question 17

What are the arguments against legalising drug taking - inequality?

Answer 17

Drugs give an unfair advantage, and against the fair play ethic.
It is cheating and illegal.
Success should be about hard work and natural talent.
Only rich countries can afford them.

Question 18

What is UKAD?

Answer 18

UK anti-doping administers the drug testing for 40+ sports and strategies to eliminate the use of illegal PEDs in sport.
They try to increase their knowledge and understanding of drugs and the moral issues associated.
The 100% me programme promotes fair, drug-free sport.

Question 19

What is WADA?

Answer 19

UKAD work with the World Anti-doping Agency and NGBs to prevent and detect drug taking.
This co-operation is important to enforce strict procedures to try and catch out the takers - includes random testing.
The Whereabouts system requires athletes to give their location so they can be tested at any time, with no notice.

Question 20

What does UKAD do after detection?

Answer 20

They punish them as harshly as possible to deter.
Lifetime bans and the return of career earning, and sponsorship money.
Important to adopt standardised, consistent approach between countries and sports.
Drug cheats should be named and shamed to dissuade others.

Question 21

What are the problems in drug eradication?

Answer 21

It may difficult to immediately access athletes training abroad.
Ongoing drug development allows them to be one step ahead.
Some individuals claim their innocence on ‘accidental drug taking’.
Different sports and countries have different regulations and procedures, but this would ensure equality for competitors, and clarify a standard list of banned substances.

Question 22

What is 19th century amateurism?

Answer 22

Upper and middle classes dominated elite sport, with high status in sport and society.
Amateurism encouraged socially acceptable behaviour in sport, and based on playing by set rules.
Middle and upper classes formed NGBs to put in place the rules.
This gave clear structure and fairness.

Question 23

What were the codes of 19th century amateurism?

Answer 23

Participation was more important than winning, as they didn’t need to earn money from it.
They played according to their God-given abilities, and training was frowned upon.
Those competent in a range of sports were viewed with high regard, and the elite performer at the time.

Question 24

What ways is amateurism present in modern-day sport?

Answer 24

Fair-play / sportmanship is positively encouraged and promoted. Shaking hands at the end and start of games, fair play awards, and the Olympic ideal.
Sports such as rugby have maintained their amateurism until recently, still have codes, e.g. referee is sir.

Question 25

What is the Olympic Oath?

Answer 25

Written by Baron de Coubertin, the founder, it was first taken in the 1920 Olympics.
It is a promise made by an athlete representative and a judge representative.
They say to respect and abide by the rules, to not cheat, and show sportsmanship.

Question 26

How is the Olympic Oath irrelevant today?

Answer 26

Many examples of drug taking.
More examples of win-at-all costs behaviour and stretching of the rules to the limit are occurring.
E.g., Hindes pretended to fall in cycling as he felt he’d had a bad start. This meant the race restarted. It is technically in the rules, but not in the true spirit of the Olympic Oath.

Question 27

What is sportsmanship?

Answer 27

Conforming to the rules, spirit and etiquette of a sport.
Fairness, maintaining self-control and treating others fairly are positive virtues.
E.g. footballers giving the ball to the opposition when they kicked it out of play for an injured player.

Question 28

How is sportsmanship decreasing?

Answer 28

When a team is winning they might stretch the rules and waste time to ensure a victory.
Some performers earned a reputation for simulation (diving) in the penalty area to win a penalty.
Violence has replaced the civilised behaviour.
Performers often question the decisions made by officials or refuse sporting etiquette - not shaking hands.

Question 29

How can sportsmanship be encouraged?

Answer 29

NGB campaigns to promote it.
Fair play awards to encourage it, provides positive role models.
Technology to help officials in decisions.
Introduction of NGB rules promoting fair play.
Punish foul play.
Use role models to promote sportsmanship and fair play.
Rigorous drug testing to ensure fairness.

Question 30

What is gamesmanship?

Answer 30

Bending and stretching the rules to their limit, not getting caught, to gain an advantage.
A fine line between gamesmanship and cheating.

Question 31

What are examples of gamesmanship?

Answer 31

Delaying play at restart to allow defense to return to position.
Time wasting.
Sledging to upset or distract an opponent.
Psyching out opponents.
Taking an injury time-out, toilet break or unnecessarily appealing a decision to upset the concentration of the opponent.
Deliberate deception to officials.

Question 32

What is win ethic?

Answer 32

Winning at all costs, no matter the means.
‘The Lombardian Ethic.’
In rugby, fake blood capsules have been used to bring on a specialist kicker at a crucial stage.

Question 33

What are examples of the win ethic?

Answer 33

No drawn games - always a winner in basketball, league cup football.
Managers and coaches fired if unsuccessful.
High amounts of deviance.
Media praise for winners.
Media negativity for losers.

Question 34

What is positive deviance?

Answer 34

Behaviour outside the norms of society but with no intent to harm or break the rules.
Over-adherence to the expectations of society.
A player might over-train or compete when injured.

Question 35

What is negative deviance?

Answer 35

Behaviour that goes against the norms and has a detrimental effect on individuals and society.
The win at all cost ethic encourages them to cheat.
Taking drugs, deliberately fouling or aggression, accepting bribes, match fixing and diving to win a penalty.

Question 36

What are the causes of violence in sport?

Answer 36

The importance of the result can increase the pressure to win at all costs.
Pre-match media hype and intense build-up can over-psych the performer.
Frustration with officials decisions and injustice.
Provocation from opponents or crowd.

Question 37

What are less obvious reasons for violence?

Answer 37

Sports with naturally more violence and physical contact.
A lack of deterrents and low-level punishments for violence from NGBs.

Question 38

How can officals be used to reduce violence?

Answer 38

Using more officials to help reach decisions.
Off the field of play, contests can be stopped and video technology used to help reach the correct decision.
This can help decrease frustration with decisions.
In rugby a Television Match Official reviews plays on TV footage and can be asked by an on-field referee.

Question 39

What punishments might NGBs use against violence?

Answer 39

Tougher sanctions could be longer bans, higher fines to players or deduction of points from clubs.
Court action could be taken with possible prison sentence imposed.

Question 40

What strategies have NGBs implemented to reduce violence - the official?

Answer 40

Supporting the decisions of officials by using video replays. Clarifying rules on violent acts, and training officials to diffuse match situations that may become aggressive.
Punishing violence by perfomers missed by officials after the match, using video evidence.
Additionally using videos to further investigate violent actions.

Question 41

What strategies have NGBs implemented to reduce violence?

Answer 41

Promoting performers with good disciplinary records as positive role models.
Imposing harsh punishments for violent actions.
Introducing education campaigns or fair play awards.

Question 42

What is football hooliganism?

Answer 42

Unruly, violent and destructive behaviour by over-zealous supporters of association football clubs.

Question 43

What are the causes of football hooliganism?

Answer 43

Too much alcohol and drug taking.
Pre-match media stirring up tensions between rival fans.
Reaction of working class who feel the middle class is taking over ‘their game’.
Violence by players reflected in the crowd.

Question 44

What are the causes of football hooliganism - neglect?

Answer 44

Poor policing, stewarding and crowd control.
Lack of effective deterrents and punishments.
Diminished responsibility by individuals in a large group - organised violence by a gang and peer pressure.

Question 45

What are the causes of football hooliganism - emotions?

Answer 45

Emotional intensity and importance of the event.
Frustration at their team losing.
To display masculinity caused by adrenaline rush.
Chants and taunts by rival fans.
Religious discord.

Question 46

What are the solutions to combat football hooliganism?

Answer 46

Using CCTV to identify and eject individuals.
Replacing terraces with all seater stadiums, segregation of fans and family zones to create a more civillised atmosphere.
Encouraging responsible media reporting.
Passing laws to prevent trespass on the pitch.

Question 47

What are the solutions to combat football hooliganism - the police?

Answer 47

Ban or control alcohol sale.
Increased police intelligence and liason to identify known and potential hooligans.
Imposing tougher deterrents - bans, fines and prosecution.
Playing games at kick-off times imposed by the police (early to avoid alcohol).

Question 48

What are the negative consequences of football hooligansim on football?

Answer 48

Images of fans being violent discouraged participation in football.
This also led to a decrease in those attending matches.
Some measures affected law-abiding fans due to ban restrictions.
Some teams were banned from competitions due to their fans violence.
The cost of security and policing.
Globally England was viewed as violent thugs who were out of control.