Chapter 4: Violence in sports

a) What is violence?
- Behaviour which causes harm and occurs outside the rules of the sport.
Ex: contact sports such as American football, ice hockey, rugby football, soccer, boxing, mixed martial
arts, wrestling, and water polo.
- Include intentional attempts to injure player by another player or coach, threats of physical harm or
actual physical harm sustained by players or coaches.
b) TYPES AND PURPOSES OF RULES:
For standardize play, attempt to prevent harm, and regulate behavior
Constitutive Rules
Proscriptive Rules
Sportsmanship Rules
- rules guide play within a specific
- prohibit specific behaviors
- emphasize playing fairly and
game
- expressly forbid specific actions,
respectfully,
- developed out to equalize
such as spearing football and
- such as abiding by the rules of the
competition
undercutting in basketball, contact in
NCAA, athletic conferences, or
- govern factors such as length of
netball.
athletic departments.
games, number of players, eligibility
- because of the high risk of injury
- Soccer officials can give a yellow
or participants, and conduct of
card (warning) or a red card (ejection)
contests.
for actions that are unsportsmanlike

c) Ethical conduct or not

i.
Violence happens when athletes disregard the rules.

d) Is winning the only thing?

e) Categorical imperative
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.

a universally accepted maxim that holds regardless of the situation because it is based on an
undeniable moral principle.
True sportspersons play to the best of their abilities within the letter and spirit of the rules.
Seeking to win is acceptable only if the letter and spirit of the rules are followed.
An opponent is not the enemy but a worthy athlete deserving to be treated exactly as everyone
would wish to be treated.
Revenge is never acceptable regardless of the unfairness or violence of the initial action.
Games are not played to intimidation; the ideal purpose is a mutual quest for excellence
through equitable and fair competition.
Sportsmanship requires modesty and humility in victory, praise for winners, and elf-respect in
defeat.

Why Violence
Exists
- they have
aggressive
tendencies and
need socially
acceptable outlets
for their release.

- sport nurtures
violence through its
structure and
discipline

- people mimic the

successful or
rewarded behaviors
they observe on
television

- rules or the rule

enforcers permit it
(ex: player will do
again if does not
get penalized)

f) How violence affect sports?

Why Violence
Why and How
Is Condoned
Violence Is
Rewarded
- Violence continues - In addition to
because some fans violence being
enjoy it, the media
taught and
glamorizes it, and it condoned, it is also
helps athletes win.
rewarded. Violence
pays dividends to
those who practice
it when it helps in
winning games.
- are learned from
- Society reinforces - Oftentimes, violent
and modeled after
violence in sport.
behavior is used to
those seen on the
intimidate. When a
electronics media
defensive back
and praised in
flattens a wide
videotaped replays
receiver on a
during sports
crossing pattern
reports,
and stands over him
taunting him
- see the
- Some claim that
Interestingly, sport
aggressive contact
fights heigthten the
rules over the years
without any
games appeal,
have been
commentary
whereas others
liberalized to reward
regarding whether
disdain such
violent behavior.
this is appropriate
violence because it
or not
distracts from the
skill of the sport.
Why Violent
Behavior Is
Taught
- to gain a
competitive edge
over opponents

- higher the level of

competition the
more intense is the
pressure exerted by
coaches for athletes
to perform in violent
ways.

If violent behaviors
help advance and
an athlete, then
these actions will
likely be repeated,

The Impact of
Violence Sport
- when permitted,
violence threatens
to reduce and even
eliminate fair play,
cooperation, and
self-discipline

- true meaning of
sport requires a fair
and just playing
field or one on
which each
opponent has an
equitable chance for
success.

- many individuals
involved with
competitive sport do
not believe that
violent behaviors in
sport are wrong.
They sometimes
equivocate winning,
which is an amoral
value, with
expected norm.

g) Recommendation
- Leagues officials and coaches should teach and enforce sport rules and ethical values.
- Any adult coach, parent , or fan who engages in violent behavior should be banned permanently
from the bench or the stands.
- Players should comply with constitutive, proscriptive, and sportsmanship rules,
- Discussions about values and ethics are needed, and everyone involved in sport should commit to
these
- Intercollegiate athletes should be expected to adhere to sport rules and team guidelines for conduct