ETHIC IN SPORT

SPORTMANSHIP

Sportsmanship expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. Being a "good sport" involves being a "good winner" as well as being a "good loser".

Sportsmanship typically is regarded as a component of morality in sport, composed of three related and perhaps overlapping concepts: fair play, sportsmanship, and character. Fair play refers to all participants having an equitable chance to pursue victory and acting toward others in an honest, straightforward, and a firm and dignified manner even when others do not play fairly. It includes respect for others including team members, opponents, and officials. Character refers to dispositions, values and habits that determine the way that person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes and is typically seen in polite behaviors toward others such as helping an opponent up or shaking hands after a match. An individual is believed to have a “good character” when those dispositions and habits reflect core ethical values.

Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable characteristic or disposition such that individuals differ in the way they are generally expected to behave in sport situations. In general, sportsmanship refers to virtues such as fairness, self-control, courage and persistence and has been associated with interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly, maintaining self-control in dealing with others, and respect for both authority and opponents.

A competitor who exhibits poor sportsmanship after losing a game or contest is often called a "sore loser" (those who show poor sportsmanship after winning are typically called "bad winners"). Behavior includes blaming others, not taking responsibility for personal actions, reacting immaturely or improperly, making excuses for their loss, referring to unfavorable conditions or other petty issues. A bad winner is when the victor of a game acts in a shallow fashion such as gloating about their win or rubbing it in the face of the one who lost.

ETHIC IN SPORT

In the highly competitive sports environment we hear more and more about unethical behavior. Sport can have a huge impact on people's lives, creating unity, promoting values and products and community pride. Everyone who participates in sport, athletes, administrators, officials, coaches and supporters, should take personal responsibility for ensuring that the sport is fun and fair for all.

Morals, values and ethics are more than just sayings, rules or laws. They imply a duty or actions that you should take. But they also imply that taking these actions is "right" or "good". Not performing in that way is "wrong" or "bad".

One of the problems of upholding morals and values in sport is that the morals and values of one participant may differ from that of another. It is therefore an obligation of coaches, captains and leaders to define basic sports morals and values that they want their teams to adhere to, and then lead by example.

The most important values in sports ethics are:

o Fairness

o Integrity

o Respect

o Equity

How you feel about others also determines your moral sense. If you value others highly you will be considerate and play with compassion and moral sense. You will consider the effect your actions will have on others and the fun of the game and all it's participants, and will want to do what is right and good. On the other hand, if you feel that opponents are against you, you may lack empathy for their feelings. You will not recognise their value and worth and may not feel compassion for their welfare. Some personality types, especially the defunct, may be empathy challenged, and they may have no or limited capacity for empathy and may be more inclined to play unethically.

Fortunately, human nature is basically good and most people will not try to win the point at the expense of harming or disabling another player.

Here are some basic tenants to follow when playing ethically:

1. Glory can not be owned. You can only taste it for a while, then it is someone else's turn.

2. Appreciate the curve balls that sport sends you. Don't give up after a bad game or season. Treat all curve balls as opportunities to improve and grow.

3. Stay positive and have positive self-talk. Don't beat yourself up about every little mistake.

4. Success in sport can not ensure happiness. Too many athletes assume their success will serve as the foundation for their self-respect rather than their self-respect serving as the foundation for their success.

5. Opponents are not evil. Successful athletes don't waste time and effort attacking another or trying to prove they're better. They don't have enemies and they respect the competition. Lay down your weapons and play in peace.

Ethics in sport is important. It forms a basis for moral behavior in life and communities. You may not be able to win every time, but the way you and your team handle defeat will either gain your respect from other people or will do damage to other people.

FAIR PLAY

Fair play is defined as much more than playing with the rules. It incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always playing within the right spirit. Fair play is defined as a way of thinking, not just a way of behaving. It incorporates issues concerned with the elimination of cheating, gamesmanship, doping, violence (both physical and verbal), the sexual harassment and abuse of children, young people and women, exploitation, unequal opportunities, excessive commercialization and corruption.

Fair play is a positive concept. Sport is a social and cultural activity which, practiced fairly, enriches society and the friendship between nations. Sport is also recognized as an individual activity which, played fairly, offers the opportunity for self-knowledge, self-expression and fulfillment; personal achievement, skill acquisition and demonstration of ability; social interaction, enjoyment, good health and well-being. Sport promotes involvement and responsibility in society with its wide range of clubs and leaders working voluntarily. In addition, responsible involvement in some activities can help to promote sensitivity to the environment.

Fair play also is an essential and central part of successful promotion, development and involvement in sport. Through fair play, the individual, the sports organizations and society as a whole all win. We all have a responsibility to promote FAIR PLAY - THE WINNING WAY.

AIMS

The basic principle of the Code of Sports Ethics is that ethical considerations leading to fair play are integral, and not optional elements, of all sports activity, sports policy and management, and apply to all levels of ability and commitment, including recreational as well as competitive sport.

The Code provides a sound ethical framework to combat the pressures in modern day society, which appear to be undermining the traditional foundations of sport - foundations built on fair play and sportsmanship, and on the voluntary movement.

The primary concern and focus is Fair Play for children and young people, in the recognition that children and young people of today are the adult participants and sporting stars of tomorrow. The Code is also aimed at the institutions and adults who have a direct or indirect influence on young people's involvement and participation in sport.

The Code embraces the concepts of the right of children and young people to participate and enjoy their involvement in sport, and the responsibilities of the institutions and adults to promote fair play and to ensure that these rights are respected.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAIR PLAY

Involvement and participation in sport among children and young people takes place within a wider social environment. The potential benefits to society and to the individual from sport will only be maximized where fair play is moved from the peripheral position it currently occupies to centre stage. Fair play must be given the highest priority by all those who, directly or indirectly, influence and promote sporting experiences for children and young people. These include:

- Governments: at all levels, and including agencies working with Government. Those involved in formal education have a particular responsibility.

- Sports and Sports-Related Organizations including Sports Federations and Governing Bodies; Physical Education Associations, Coaching Agencies and Institutes, Medical and Pharmacological Professions and the Media. The commercial sector, including sports goods manufacturers and retailers and marketing agencies, also has a responsibility to contribute to the promotion of fair play.

- Individuals including Parents, Teachers, Coaches, Referees, Officials, Sports Leaders, Administrators, Journalists, Doctors and Pharmacists; and those role models who have achieved levels of sporting excellence and fame; those who work on a voluntary or on a professional basis. Individuals may also have responsibilities in their capacity as spectators.

Each of these institutions and individuals has a responsibility and a role to play. This Code of Sports Ethics is addressed to them. It will only be effective if all involved in sport are prepared to take on the responsibility identified in the Code.

TWO MODELS OF ETHICS IN SPORTS

1. Sportsmanship Model

To a sportsman, the way he/she plays the game is central. Sports are seen as special activities where honor is found. The goal is honorable competition in pursuit of victory.

The sportsmanship model demands a commitment to principles of integrity including compliance with the letter and spirit of the rules even when one could get away with violations.

Coaches and players who practice sportsmanship can be at a disadvantage when competing against others who practice gamesmanship.

A true sportsperson is willing to lose rather than sacrifice ethical principles to win. If you aren’t willing to lose, you may be willing to do unethical things to win.

A victory attained by cheating or other forms of unethical conduct is unearned and dishonorable. A true sports person believes that winning without honor is not a true victory. Coaches must remind themselves and their athletes that true competition means pursuing victory with honor.

The Olympic Creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just at the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Within the Olympic concept, there is no true victory unless it is achieved with honor.

2. The Gamesmanship Model

Gamesmanship sanctions ways of bending, evading and breaking the rules to provide a competitive advantage.

The only thing that really matters is winning. It’s the Officials’ Job to Catch Me: It’s only cheating if you get caught. It’s the officials’ job to enforce the rules and not our responsibility to follow them. There are no criteria for drawing a line between what’s acceptable and what’s not. Examples:

>Faked Fouls - Believe it is acceptable to fake fouls.

>Illegal Head Start - Believe it is acceptable to get an illegal head start in cross country track or leaving the line early in soccer to block a penalty kick.

>Doctoring Equipment - Believe it is acceptable to illegally “doctor” a baseball or a bat. Is raising the foul line slightly to keep bunts in play to favor a home team or altering the height of the mound or distance from the rubber to the plate in the same category?

>Surreptitious (covert) Personal Fouls - Believe it is acceptable in soccer, water polo, basketball and football to illegally hold, grab and pull on opponents.

>Physical Intimidation - Believe it is acceptable to intentionally inflict pain on opponents to intimidate them.

“Taking Out” a Player - Aggressive supporters of the gamesmanship model believe injuring an opponent or aggravating a pre-existing injury to take the opponent out of the game is legitimate.

>Espionage - Believe it is acceptable to use elaborate means such as secret filming or electronically intercepting game signals to get information from an opponent’s plans or plays. If this is acceptable, what is wrong with persuading a player from the other team to give you a copy of the play book?

Gamesmanship coaches gain advantage by violating eligibility, recruiting and practice rules just as gamesmanship athletes gain an advantage by using illegal performance-enhancing drugs and playing tactics.