‘The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give.’ _Howard Cosell, American sports journalist.
Competitive sports are defined as competition-oriented and focused coaching with the aim of athletic victory. Competitive sports are organized every year in different parts of the world, for example, Super Bowl, NBA Finals and Tour de France. Many benefits are derived from competitive sports but they also have some drawbacks.
Pros:
· Hosting these events can procure inflows of foreign capital, create employment for the local people and also make people want to spend their money. For example, the FIFA World Cup 2022 is going to be held in Doha, Qatar. It is expected to boost Qatar's economy. New infrastructure, buildings, stadiums, a metro system and an airport are being constructed, so many people will get a job. The event will also attract foreign visitors. Qatar is going to earn recognition on a global scale. Tourists will discover the new cultures, traditions, norms and languages of Qatar. By travelling, people become a better version of themselves.
· Major sporting events may also impact the lives of people positively. Firstly, attending sports events reduce stress and anxiety in people. Studies have shown that sports fans tend to be less lonely and have higher self-esteem than non-sports fan. Furthermore, a major sporting event makes people more enthusiastic and excited for such an event. It can also encourage people to do sports and this has lasting benefits for the population's health. Sporting events can lead to an increase in volunteerism which promotes civic virtues. For example, people can collect funds for a disaster, charity or orphanage.
· Participating in competitive sports means that the athletes are showcasing their skills and talent to people. These athletes can make a name of themselves. For example, Simone Biles became the first female U.S. gymnast who won four gold medals at a single Games at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Furthermore, lots of these sporting events are attended by famous athlete managers who want to see athletes at an amateur level. If the sportspersons perform well, they can impress those managers who may eventually sign contracts with them. Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager of Manchester United F.C. for 27 years and produced great athletes such as Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Christiano Ronaldo.
Cons:
· Corruption is not something new in sports as it has existed since the formation of sports competitions. Sports is multi-billion-dollar business which makes it prone to corruption. Some players have accepted bribes from bookmakers or sports bettors to intentionally lose matches. This is known as match-fixing. For example, in May 2020, Egyptian tennis player Youssef Hossam received a lifetime ban for match-fixing. Money laundering, which is the changing of large sums of money obtained illegally into money gained from legitimate sources, also occurs in sports. A secret investigation by Al Jazeera has revealed that ‘English football clubs can be bought by criminals to launder the proceeds of their crimes.’
· Doping is another problem in competitive sports. According to Cambridge Dictionary, doping is ‘the use of illegal drugs to improve the performance of a person or an animal in a sports competition.’ This occurs due to jealousy and selfishness among athletes as the latter do not want their rivals to win and get too much press. During the Ancient Olympic Games, some athletes were reported to have taken figs to enhance their performance. Nowadays, anabolic steroids and stimulants such as caffeine, cocaine, amphetamine, modafinil, and ephedrine are taken. In 2012, cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped off his Tour de France titles for having used performance-enhancing drugs for all his wins.
Competitive sports do make a positive impact on people’s lives but also have their negative aspects. Corruption and doping have become major problems in sports competitions. There is no perfect solution for these crimes but we can still prevent them by imposing stricter rules and educating young athletes from an early age. If not, integrity in sports will be lost forever.
BY: Muhammad Farhaan Azmatally
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