Deviance
Ethical factors
Sport requires people to follow written and unwritten rules to make it fair. It expects them to behave responsibly to ensure respect, fairness and safety. In this way, it promotes social values.
Sporting behaviour
Anyone taking part in sport is expected to take personal responsibility and behave in a certain way. This is known as sportsmanship.
Rules
Participants have to follow the rules of the sport. In organised sport, these are developed by each sport’s governing body and are upheld by officials during play. Rules make sure that play is safe and fair. Players are penalised if they do not respect the rules and the officials. During informal or adapted activities, participants often agree their own rules. Agreeing adaptations to the rules can make sport more inclusive. They still ensure fairness and safety.
Etiquette
Sport also has unwritten rules or customs – etiquette – to uphold safety, respect and fairness. These help people to play in the ‘spirit of the game’. They often require players to take an active approach to respect and fairness, not just avoid breaking the rules.
For example, etiquette includes:
- acknowledging that a ball was out
- shaking hands with opponents
Deviance
In sport, deviant behaviour occurs when a player; manager; spectator or anyone involved behaves in a way that knowingly breaks the rules or ethics of the sport. This behaviour takes several forms, including cheating; violence; bribery to influence the results or illegally betting on the outcome.
Gamesmanship
Gamesmanship is the opposite of sportsmanship. Without breaking them, players bend the rules and use questionable methods to gain an advantage. Examples include:
- deliberately falling after being tackled in the penalty area to try to win a penalty
- distracting an opponent as they prepare to serve
- time-wasting to prevent the opposition from trying to score
Gamesmanship exists at all levels and in many sports. Due to media coverage, many examples are seen in elite sport. Some sport psychologists and philosophers believe this reflects players’ motivation. Competitors who are strongly ego-oriented or extrinsically motivated are more likely to have a ‘win at all costs’ attitude, leading to unsporting behaviour. There is less incentive to cheat if someone is task-oriented and intrinsically motivated.
Sporting values
Sport is also used to promote positive values in society generally. By demonstrating these values on and off the field, sportspeople become positive role models, particularly for young people.
Olympic values
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) defines the three Olympic values:
- Excellence – someone doing the best they can, in sport and in life. It is about taking part and striving for improvement, not just winning.
- Friendship – using sport to develop tolerance and understanding between all people – performers, spectators and citizens in general.
- Respect – having consideration for oneself, others and the wider environment. It includes respecting the rules of sport and the officials who uphold them.
Anti-doping
Doping in sport means to take illegal or performance-enhancing drugs. It is a major challenge as it undermines fairness and puts athletes’ health at risk.
While there are strict measures to tackle doping in sport, it is the responsibility of every athlete to make sure they are dope-free. Individuals have to take personal responsibility for every substance that enters their body. Ultimately, anti-doping depends on good sportsmanship.
The UK Anti-Doping Agency promotes 100% Me. This is about being a true athlete where your performance is due to hard work, determination and talent. 100% Me supports and educates all athletes, from beginners to elite performers. It is based on five values:
