Fair Play in the Perspective of Contemporary Sport

Abstract

S port as a socio-cultural phenomenon of modern times is often portrayed as a renaissance of the Olympic ideals. Today, however, we can see that sports in many cases contributes to the emancipation process, particularly in developing countries, offers opportunities for strengthening national identity and fosters respect for state symbols. A wider context of applying the principle of fair play in sports has its indisputable philosophical and ethical dimensions. The first expresses the widening gap between high performance sports and recreational sports. The importance of schools in the value modeling of the principle of fair play in general and at the level of sports is given by the fact that their very nature is aimed at socialization and education. Olympic Movement must ensure that the Olympic Games preserve both the Olympic values and the principles of protecting the environment, respond to the needs of the young generation of athletes and enhance gender equality and equal opportunities.

Politics of Gender (in)Equality Relating to Sport and Development Within a Sub-Saharan Context of Poverty

“…Neo-liberal understandings and a common sisterhood has little meaning for girls and women, who are mainly viewed as "possessions" for men, who would side-line them as players to the role of spectators, act violently, dismiss their needs and use them as "tokens" to adhere to gender targets. Such an interpretation confirms the viewpoint of patriarchal dominance and how male hegemony is exerted through the production of power (Sekot, 2011;Szto, 2015). Unless men and women take up equality and human justice as a societal and institutional value, patriarchal beliefs and "equity" will ring hollow, favour men (and merit) with public confirmation from media portrayals.…”

“…Individuals or organisations with political power are mainly responsible for the equitable distribution of resources. For change to happen, all dimensions of gender inequality should be addressed at all levels of engagement-from social relationships at the individual, organisational and societal levels (Burton, 1987;Sekot, 2011;Szto, 2015).…”

“…If "gender" continues to be viewed as a female rather than a societal issue, institutional barriers and hegemonic practices will remain in favour of patriarchal biases. Finding mechanisms to break down the barriers between women from different spheres of life so as to create the formation of a common sisterhood, may present a related and more concerted collective voice and public exposure for addressing a pro-gender equity agenda in society and within the sport sector (Pelak, 2009;Sekot, 2011;Szto, 2015). In South African society that is still riddled with multiple layers of disenfranchisement, "race" and "socio-economic status" trumps that of "gender" as it affects the majority of people living with the dehumanising and devastating consequences of poverty.…”

A Theoretical Perspective on Understanding Ethical Principles in Sports

“…2. Ensuring fair play: The rules promote fair and equitable play for all by: prohibition of unsportsmanlike behavior (eg: aggression, cheating); establishing sanctions for breaking the rules (eg yellow/red cards); ensuring an impartial referee to enforce the rules (Sekot, 2011).…”

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games. A glance from the lens of academics and spectators

“…During the competitions of Rio 2016, there were several situations that reflect in a textual manner, the principles of Olympic philosophy, in which fair play is understood as an ethical behavior, and it goes beyond the norm (Sekot, 2011), and solidarity exceeded the competitive claims of athletes. Perhaps, the event that had the greatest circulation through all the media was what it happened in athletics, during the women's 5,000-meter event, when athletes Abbey D'Agostino and Nikki Hamblin were involved in a fall.…”