Ethics and High Level Sport

1. Ethics and High Level Sport Pages 241 - 244

2. Aggression and Sport • Controlled aggression is a fundamental part on many sports • Sometimes, however, this spills over into an uncontrolled situation, where fights break out • When similar violence occurs on the streets, rather than in the name of sport, it is a crime

3. Aggression and Sport • Pre Industrial times - The occasional mob football games, some of which survive today, were characterised by severe violence and brutality • Victorianism – brought more civilised ethics, linked with fair play and sportsmanship. It brought honesty, gentlemanly behaviour, courteous attitudes and respect for the opposition • Games were played to the letter of the law, but also to their spirit or underlying unwritten principles of good manners

4. How has this changed? • The stakes are now very high and the outcome vital • Pressure is intense • Gamesmanship or the stretching of the rules to the absolute limit in order to gain an advantage are common • Examples

5. Definitions • Deviance – Departure from accepted norms of behaviour • Sportsmanship – Treating your opponent with respect and as an equal, showing fair play and good behaviour • Gamesmanship – The practice of beating your opponent by gaining an unfair or psychological advantage without actually breaking the letter of the law e.g. time wasting

6. Definitions • Fair play – the essence of the ‘gentleman amateur’, playing to the rules and not gaining an unfair advantage in any way • Etiquette – Rules of correct behaviour • The letter and spirit of the law – Playing to the rules of the game, but also in a fair spirit, showing respect to opponents

7. Fair Play • Gary Lineker is a model of fair play “What places Gary Lineker head and shoulders above the worlds best is his sportsmanship: a total dedication to fair play that rubs off on the crowds watching the game ……….while some players spend a whole match trying to get even, he refuses to retaliate. He knows that the best answer to aggression is to score goals”

8. IMPORTANCE OF RESULT Either financial or placement in competition NATURE OF GAME A physical robust game is likely to lead to increased aggression EMOTIONAL INTENSITY The ‘cauldron’ effect of the venue or over intense psyching up Possible causes of violence by players CROWD BEHAVIOUR e.g. Eric Cantona’s infamous Kung Fu kick at a fan in 1995 PROVOCATION OR SLEDGING e.g. Andrew Flintoff v West Indies DISAPPOINTMENT OR FRUSTRATION e.g. an unexpected bad result WEAPONS In the form of sticks, bats, clubs DE-HUMANISED VIEW OF THE OPPOSITION e.g. caused by protective helmets and other gear which can turn opponents into objects to be hit rather than opponents to be respected

9. Violence by sports performers Can be explained, but is wrong • It can be analysed in terms of: • CHEATING – it is a blatant infringement of agreed sporting codes and a disregard of the true values of sport as an experience • HEALTH – it causes injury and physical damage, which can be life threatening • LEGALITY – Physical violence is against the law and is increasingly being punished with legal action when it occurs in sport • ROLE MODELLING – Performers have a responsibility to take advantage of their media exposure as positive role models, especially to young people

10. TECHNOLOGY Video playbacks to assess and adjudicate on unfair play MORE SEVERE PENALTIES e.g. penalty tries, sin bins, yellow/red cards and sending off for intentional fouls on players in clear goal scoring positions GREATER NUMBERS and more authority for referees, umpires and lines people POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE BY SOME PERFORMERS RULE CHANGES To combat ways that players and coaches find to dodge rules e.g. changes to offside and goalkeeping rules in football; lineout, scrummaging, kicking for touch and off side rules in Rugby Union EDUCATION The CCPR, Sports Coach UK and UK sport have produced guidelines to instill an ethos of fair play into sports performers

11. VIOLENCE BY SPECTATORS Pages 244 - 246

12. Violence by spectators • Aggressive and rebellious behaviour at sporting events is not new • The problem was around in pre-industrial days and throughout the Victorian period • The constant fighting of the Irish immigrant Hooligan family added a new word to the language of the 1890’s

13. Violence by spectators • In the 1960’s hooliganism raised its head again • It was a major social problem • Linked to the collective, aggressive behaviour of predominantly white, urban, unskilled teenage males at football matches

14. Football Hooliganism Why? • Some say the phenomenon arose due to the exaggerated and sensational reporting of incidents by the press, which resulted in the hooligans ‘rising to the challenge’ • Some say it is due to a chauvinistic and primitive desire to assert maleness!

15. Football Hooliganism • Groups dress the same in order to be identified • They wear different boots or socks or differently tied scarves to identify their rank in the group • This is just what the public school ‘hearties’ did in the 1890s

16. Ritual importance of the event e.g. ‘local derby’ Violence by players on the pitch Clumsy and primitive strategies from crowd control which incite frustration and trouble Religion e.g. Celtic v Rangers Pre-match hype in papers, on TV orat the ground The score or result POSSIBLE CAUSES OF CROWD VIOLENCE Controversial decisions by officials Alcohol Limited alternative outlets for stress in modern industrial society Chanting and abuse from rival fans Diminished responsibility by individuals when in a large group Activity by a minority of violent criminals in organised gangs and members of fascist organisations who use football as an arena for serious assault. Hooligans at football – not football hooligans

17. Violence by spectators • It has been argued that chanting, charges and threatening behaviour are just symbolic rituals • Injury or worse is a result of panic rushes to escape attack rather than as a result of attack itself

18. Heysel Disaster 1985 • Juventus v Liverpool • 39 spectators, (31 were Juventus fans) were crushed or trampled to death when trying to escape a charge by Liverpool fans • 250 others were injured when violence erupted between rival fans

19. Heysel Disaster 1985 • A massive European TV audience was watching the game • The Italian Prime Minister said Britain was a ‘disgrace’ • Britain was banned from European football for 5 years

20. Hillsborough 1989 • This was nothing to do with hooliganism • Hundreds of liverpool fans were channelled into an already crowed section of the ground • This caused a massive crush, causing 95 deaths

21. What happened? • Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister) demanded an investigation • This resulted in the Taylor report, which identified overcrowding and poor facilities as central to the problem

22. SAFETY AT FOOTBALL MATCHES Removal of perimeter fences between crowds and pitch Promotion of football as family entertainment Removal of terraces to all-seater stadiums Control of alcohol SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM CCTV around stadiums and security checks Liaison by police in different areas of the country Tougher deterrents Separation of fans from different clubs