violence in sport

Question 1

reasons for player violence

Answer 1

• provoked/ retaliation = by opponent, by teammate, crowd abuse, racism, violence on pitch copied
• nature of game e.g. contact sports, rules that encourage violence
• drugs e.g. testosterone, rage from steroids
• frustration-aggression theory
• social learning theory (copying from others)
• desire to win = become overly-aggressive

Question 2

reasons for spectator violence

Answer 2

• alcohol/ social drugs = people lose their inhibitions and become more brave
• imitating violence on the pitch
• poor spectator provision = overcrowding, poor stewarding, poor policing
• rivalries between teams can fuel spectator violence
• hooliganism = organised violence, looking for a fight, used as an outlet of ‘energy’
• deindividuation = lose sense of individual identity in a crowd + diminished responsibility can cause violence when you usually wouldn’t be (lack of accountability)

Question 3

reasons for both player + spectator violence

Answer 3

• frustration = with referee decisions, score, performance
• importance of game/ result = monetary reward, cup match, league position decider, rivalry

Question 4

consequences of violence in sport on society

Answer 4

• sports performers = role models, so violence may be copied in society
• large costs of policing certain sporting events due to the risk of violence
• a country can be given a bad reputation due to the actions of a few hooligans
• can be a sense of embarrassment among a society with a problem of violence

Question 5

consequences of violence in sport on sport

Answer 5

• sport gains bad reputation = loss of support/ interest
• reduce the no. of spectators if there is a risk of being caught up in violence
• participation of young people may be reduced in violent sports
• can initiate changes in laws and rules of a sport to make violence less likely
• loss of sponsors

+ can make the sport more entertaining for media + spectators

Question 6

consequences of violence in sport on performers

Answer 6

• punishment = disciplinary action + maybe legal action e.g. bans, fines, suspensions etc…
• injury + even death in some cases
• loss of sponsors
• become a negative role model/ detrimental to career

Question 7

strategies to prevent spectator violence in sport

Answer 7

• stricter punishments = remove season tickets, legal action
• known hooligans are given banning orders by authorities, preventing them from attending live sporting events
• control of alcohol = ban alcohol, early kick off times, searches at gates
• uses of CCTV/ police hand-held cameras = spot incidents occurring, record any events for evidence
• improve spectator facilities = all seated stadiums, separation of fans
• promotion as family entertainment = use of family sections within crowd, children based entertainment e.g. ascots, using social media to build positive relationships between fans etc..

Question 8

strategies to prevent player violence in sport

Answer 8

• rule changes to minimise violent situations in sport e.g. no high tackles in rugby
• punishments are stricter
• education on fair play + emphasis on being a role model, negative effects of violence + how to control emotions and stress
• more effective officiating = maintain control of game, catch more violent acts, more qualified officials
• technology = to catch foul play after the event, for airer outcomes to reduce frustration
• coaches = encourage a philosophy of assertive behaviour rather than violence