Violence In Sport Essay, Research Paper

Violence in Sport

In most of our popular spectator sports, winning depends on the use of violence. To score and win, athletes’ bodies are routinely turned into weapons to be used against other bodies, causing pain, serious injury, and even death. How do we interpret the social meaning of this violence? Commentators – both apologists and critics – have made sweeping statements about sports and violence, but their analyses rarely take into account the meanings of violence in sports to the athletes themselves.

Professional athletes have a saying when someone gets injured: “Throw dirt on it, spit on it, go play.”

Athletes often tread a thin line between competition and assault. Legislators have not passed laws on sports violence, showing a belief in such activity.

Even though many athletes have had to pay the price of committing acts of violence, I believe that this is not a type of punishment that is really going to change things in the long run. Many athletes hold the same opinion. They don’t care if they get fined. They already make $3 million. What is a couple of thousand dollars? I personally think to make violence in sports safer, there has to be larger consequences for those who cause extreme violence in their respective sport. If fining them does nothing, more drastic measures should be taken such as jail time, or longer suspensions for the players.

Someone has to let the athletes know that extreme violence is not acceptable in sports, but often the spectators encourage these acts.

Do you think that there should be stricter rules and consequences for violence in sport?

Why do you think there is so much violence in sport today?