Lesson 4- Sporting Behaviour

Introduction
All societies in the world are governed by a set of rules that have been decided upon by the
society as a whole, their elected representatives, or the rulers of that society. These rules, known
as the laws of the land, are necessary so that anarchy does not take hold.

In many instances, sport serves as a microcosm of society. It is necessary to have guidelines,

rules, or regulations of the way a sport is to be played. These rules are pliable but become less
flexible as sport moves from recreational physical activity to formal structures, such as sports
leagues. It is essential that all teams involved at similar levels play by the same set of
regulations. Even at the elite or professional level, however, opportunities must be available to
change the rules of sport, whether by popular demand, for safety reasons, or for spectator and
participant appeal.

The rules of sport, like the rules of society, are meant to satisfy the needs of the participants and
spectators, and must be seen to be fair, equitable, and judicious; that is, they must include a set of
consequences/penalties for a hierarchy of transgressions or deviant behaviour.

Learning objectives
At the end of the lesson the student must be able to:

a. Analyze sporting behaviours that may be positive and/or negative.

b. To understand that all athletes have the potential to be perceived as role models.

c. To learn the different drugs uses in sports

Discussion
Sporting behaviour is the term used to reflect sportsmanship, as it pertains to ethical
behaviour, fair play, and respect for the sport, the participants, and the spectators. Elite
athletes have become societal role models, whether or not they wish to carry this burden.
In recent years, because of increased and instantaneous media attention, the behaviour of
 these athletes has come under society’s microscope, off as well as on the playing field,
for every aspect of their lives. As a result, elite athletes seriously influence the moral and
ethical development of children and youth of many societies.

Sport can also build character and personal qualities, such as courage, integrity, and the
capacity to commit to a goal or purpose, as well as values such as a sense of
responsibility to others, respect for others, self-discipline, a sense of fair play and fair
dealing, and honesty.

For these reasons it is important that parents and particularly coaches have a good
understanding of the positive values that the sporting experience is able to promote.
Pointing out and rewarding the positive behaviours while discussing and discouraging the
negative ones is every adult’s responsibility. Coaches and parents are role models too.

Cheating - behavior aimed at getting around the rules or simply breaking them

Why do athletes engage in cheating?

1. The win-at-all-costs mentality

2. Cheating results from the sport ethic

The Sport Ethic

 A cluster of norms that describe what it means to be a successful athlete

 Four specific norms make up the sport ethic

The Athlete as Role Model

Many positive role models can be found in sport. As a class, discuss athletes who
contribute to the improvement of our society and are living examples of the best qualities
of our society. Have students respond to guiding questions such as the following:

a. What qualities do these athletes represent?

b. What other athletes come to mind when we use the term “role model”?
 Examples of role models in sport are Cindy Klassen, Clara Hughes, Steve Nash, Todd
MacCulloch, Terry Fox, and Rick Hansen.

The Marketable Athlete

Have each student reflect on “marketable” athletes by responding to the following

questions:

c. Identify a Canadian athlete who advertises products in the media.

d. What products does this athlete advertise?

e. Why did the company selling the product connect this athlete to it?

f. Think about the sports you watch on television. What other kinds of products do you see
advertised by athletes during television commercials or in print media?

g. What traits make an athlete “highly marketable”? Why?

h. What sort of image does an athlete bring to products? Give examples of positive and
negative sports images or sports figures.

i. Do these athletes have an impact on the consumer relative to personal values?

An Athlete’s Creed

Have students create a creed (statement of belief) that reflects their personal views on
sport participation. Students could also develop a creed for a local sporting event in the
school or in the community and post it, where applicable. Have students compare and
discuss the importance of their creed in the context of their own sport experience.

The Olympic Creed, for example, is

THE OLYMPIC CREED
meant to spur athletes to embrace the
“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is
Olympic spirit and to perform to the best not to win but to take part, just as the most
important thing in life is not the triumph but the
of their abilities. The words for this struggle. The essential thing is not to have
conquered but to have fought well” (Canadian
creed are attributed to Pierre de Olympic Committee).
Coubertin, the founder of the modern
Olympic Games, who got the idea for this phrase from a speech given by Bishop
 Ethelbert Talbot at a service for Olympic champions during the 1908
Olympic Games (Athens Info Guide; Canadian Olympic Committee).

Background Information

Character versus Sport Ethic

More often than not, the assumption is made that having good character also represents
the dominant sport ethic. In other words, the athletes’ behaviours are consistent with the
behaviour norms that are applauded and praised by the sporting culture. Individual
character and the prevailing sport ethic may, however, counter each other. Athletes who
demonstrate and endorse the sport ethic are rewarded, while those who rebel find it
difficult to be a part of the accepted society.

When athletes are exposed to various ethical dilemmas in sport over a period of time,
they may eventually adopt unethical behaviours that are expected of them (e.g., hockey
players may be expected to fight or to take penalties for their team). The behaviours are
often reinforced and appreciated by the fans and media. Although the behaviours are
accepted within the insular world of sport, they are often not acceptable in the world
outside of sport. The newspapers and television are full of examples of athletes who have
difficulty keeping the line clearly drawn between the world of sport and the world outside
of sport.

The World of Sport

Have students find in the media (or create) two positive or negative examples of ethical
issues in sport. These examples may pertain to issues related to gender fairness, violence,
cheating, fair play, foul language, use of performance-enhancing drugs, being forced to
play while injured, and so on.

The following are some examples of what students may find when they look at how
athletes’ behaviours are consistent with the behaviour norms that are applauded and
praised by the sporting culture but are not necessarily considered good character.

EXAMPLES
Athletes’ behaviours may be consistent with behaviour norms of sporting
culture but may not reflect good character when they
 strive for excellence by cheating (e.g., using
drugs, making dishonest line
Deviant Behaviour in Sport

The term deviant behaviour describes actions or behaviours that take place in sport that
are outside expected or acceptable limits. This definition helps distinguish between
behaviours that are governed within the rules of the sport and those that may be
questioned, reviewed, or acted upon by the parent sport organization (e.g., National
Hockey League) or by the judicial system.

Deviant behaviour in sport may include the following:

j. Rule breaking: When rules are broken unintentionally during competition, or when
rules are broken intentionally but the results are not severe, game officials make a
ruling. Organizational or judicial intervention may become necessary when the rules are
broken intentionally or result in great harm. The penalties or sanctions levied against the
perpetrators range from heavy fines to lifetime bans in the sport, and, in some cases,
result in criminal charges.

k. Emotional involvement: Different levels of emotional involvement could also be

considered deviant behaviour. In many countries, sporting events have evolved into
avenues for emotional release and relief. Generally, the more important the event is, the
greater the emotional expression becomes, whether it be joy, anger, wonderment, or
sadness. Often the emotions are irrational and, in many instances, lead to violence,
usually between opposing team spectators, but sometimes between opponents, athletes,
and spectators, or even game officials. In any case, these actions are immature and
antisocial, and are definitely not acceptable.
 Off-Field Violence in Sport

Sports that involve body contact of any kind also involve violent acts. It has been suggested,
although not substantiated, that watching or being involved in violent acts in sport may lead
to deviant behaviour outside the sport venue. Is it possible that people who use physical
intimidation and violence in sport are likely to exhibit these behaviours when faced with
situations of conflict outside of sport? Consider the case of Tonya Harding (Olympic figure
skater), who was involved with the attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan

Develop statements related to violent behaviour for students to debate. Using the Opinion
Corners learning strategy (see Appendix E), students take a position on an issue by going
to the corner that most accurately depicts their viewpoint: strongly agree, agree, strongly
disagree, or disagree.

The following are examples of statements that could be debated by the class:

l. An athlete who feels that his or her character is being challenged will often respond with
physical force.

m. Male athletes (e.g., O. J. Simpson, Chris Benoit, Mike Tyson) are more frequently
involved in violent acts against women than are male non-athletes.

n. Sport serves as a way to release aggression in an acceptable way and actually reduces
violent tendencies in athletes and/or fans.

o. Parents promote violent behaviour of their children.

Performance Enhancement

Although performance-enhancing substances have been used for hundreds of years, this issue
is becoming more prevalent in sport today. Athletes use many substances such as anabolic
steroids, stimulants, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, amino-acid supplements, health foods,
and natural herbs to gain an advantage over their competitors. Not all substances are illegal,
but many are.

Performance-Enhancing Drugs

1. To gain a winning edge

 2. Just to stay competitive

e.g., Ben Johnson tragedy

IOC considers certain performance-enhancing drugs illegal because:

1. They give one an unfair advantage

2. They have serious health side-effects

Athletes must be counselled to stay drug-free

Different Drugs and It’s Effect

Athletes’ Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Have students work in groups of three to discuss questions regarding athletes’ use of
performance-enhancing substances. Ask each student in a group to take one of the following
letters: A, B, or C. For the first round, A is the recorder, B asks C questions, and C answers
the questions. B does not speak other than to ask the questions. C has one minute to answer
questions. After the first round, have students rotate until each student has had an opportunity
to be a recorder, ask the questions, and respond to the questions.

Sport Gambling

What are the issues/problems with betting on sporting events? There are strict rules against
players, coaches, and game officials being involved in gambling on the outcomes of sporting
events in which they are involved. Gambling in sport has long been an issue, however. It is
estimated that billions of dollars are spent around the world in illegal wagering in sport.

In Manitoba, it appears that gambling is a concern not only for adults, but also for youth:

Based on the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba’s 2001 Youth Survey, close to 50% of
students surveyed had gambled or bet on something during the past year. Gambling activities
played by these youth include: scratch tickets (29.7%), bingo (18.2%), lottery tickets
(16.6%), Sports Select games (14%), VLTs (11.3%), and slot machines (10.3%). (MAAW,
“Wanna Bet . . . Fast Facts on Gambling”)

Does Sport Build Character?

The term character refers to a person acting in accordance with his or her own morals and
beliefs. How a person is socialized as a child determines, to a large extent, what the person
values, and this includes the elements of trustworthiness, honesty, respect, responsibility,
fairness, and caring. When athletes behave in a manner that is inconsistent with the way they
normally behave it is said that they are acting “out of character.” Why are there so many
examples of athletes acting “out of character”?
 Sample questions could include the following:

p. Name three athletes who have recently been caught using performance-enhancing
substances.

q. What should be the penalty for such actions?

r. Why do athletes take performance-enhancing substances?

Enrichment activities
Name: ______________________________________________ Date: _______________

Year and section: _______________________________ Score: ______________

Self-Assessment Question
Identify each of the behaviours described in the scenarios below as one of the following
if the answer is C put the answer in first blank if P put in second blank:

C – Cheating
P – Part of the Game
Be prepared to support your choices.

Scenarios C P
1. To get a needed time out, a coach instructs a soccer player to fake an injury.

2. After every score, a basketball player taunts the defender in an effort to “psyche
him or her out.”
3. To gain an edge, a golfer illegally alters equipment.

4. A baseball coach instructs a pitcher to throw the ball at the other team’s best
batter’s head to brush the batter back from the plate.
 5. To motivate players, a coach uses foul language and insults.

6. In basketball, a player commits a deliberate foul to stop the clock in the final
minute of play.
7. In soccer, a coach teaches players to grab and hold shirts illegally without being
detected.
8. In volleyball, a player says nothing after a referee erroneously says the player
never touched the ball.
9. To set a new scoring record, a football team facing a badly overmatched
opponent runs up the score to 96-7.
10. In baseball, a fielder traps the ball against the ground, but tries to convince the
umpire that he or she caught it cleanly.
11. A wrestling coach instructs an athlete to attack a recent injury of the opponent.

12. In ice hockey, a coach sends in a player to instigate a fight with the other team’s
top scorer.
13. In a close tennis match, the referee calls a sideline shot you have made “in.”
You know it was out but don’t say anything.
14. You are fouled in a close basketball game with the time running out. The coach
calls you and another teammate over and instructs the other player to go to the
shooting line in your place.
15. Other

Lesson 4 -Exercise 1
Essay: Read the questions and place the answer in space provided. (Encode and send to
google classroom -pdf format )

a. Name three athletes who have recently been caught using performance-enhancing substances.
5 points

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b. What should be the penalty for such actions? 5 points

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c. Why do athletes take performance-enhancing substances? 5 points

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d. How does sport build or reveal the positive or negative character of an individual? How is
character “learned”? 5 points
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e. How do athletes serve as role models for young sport competitors? 5 points

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f. What is the difference between sporting behavior and deviant behavior in sport? 5 points

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Note: Enrichment Activity and Self-Assessment Question, follow this outline write the
questions and answer in a short bond paper write eligibly deduction in score if not.

Reference

Bloom, Michael, Michael Grant, and Douglas Watt. ( 2005) “Chapter 6: Skills Impacts.”
Strengthening Canada: The Socio-economic Benefits of Sport Participation in Canada—
Report August 2005. Ottawa, ON: The Conference Board of Canada.

Manitoba Addictions Awareness Week (MAAW) Committee. (2007) “Wanna Bet . . . Fast
Facts on Gambling.” Manitoba Addictions Awareness Week: Resource Kit. Winnipeg, MB:
MAAW Committee. 2.4.8 Gambling