3.2 Ethics and deviance in sport

Learning objectves

To understand the methods of doping in sport and why athletes use performance enhancing drugs.

To evaluate the consequences and implicatons for drug doping.

To assess the use of legal and illegal substances in sport.

To describe strategies that may prevent the use of illegal drugs.

To understand the causes, implicatons and strategies to prevent violence and gambling in sport.

Sport and physical actvity can be afected by poor sportsmanship and ethics. Unethical behaviour includes the use of performance enhancing drugs.

Deviance is any unacceptable behaviour that difers from the perceived social and legal norms.

Ethics and deviance

Think. Pair. Share – What behaviours or acts would be seen as deviant?

Deviant behaviour is usually as a result of a drive to win being blocked. Pressures from coaches, sponsorships deals and spectators can also increase the level of deviance seen.

Deviance can be seen in sport through:•Violence•Hooliganism•Gambling•Match fiing•Doping

Ethics and deviance

Ofen TV and other media outlets are responsible for reportng, and on occasions ‘hyping up’, news stories and rivalries.

What sports or athletes have been involved in recent incidents of drug taking in sport?

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Drugs and Doping in Sport

Blood doping is the practce of boostng the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream in order to enhance performance.

Blood doping

This can improve stamina and performance, partcularly in long-distance events, such as running and cycling.

An increase in number of red blood cells will increase the amount of haemoglobin present (oiygen-carrying protein) This allows higher amounts of oiygen to reach an athlete's muscles.

The blood doping method is outlined below.

Blood doping

1. Blood (up to 2 pints) is removed from compettor and stored several weeks before competton.

2. Body naturally synthesises new blood cells to replace those lost.

3. Blood injected back in to the body 1-2 days before competton.

Blood doping is banned by the Internatonal Olympic Commitee and other sports organisatons.

Blood doping

By increasing the number of red blood cells, blood doping causes the blood to thicken. This thickening forces the heart to work harder than normal.

As a result, blood doping raises the risk of:•blood clots•heart atacks•strokes

Performance enhancing drugs are substances that are used to improve any form of athletc performance.

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Think. Pair. Share – What performance enhancing drugs are you aware of already?

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Athletes that might use this category of drug:

Shootng (target sports), Snooker

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Athletes that might use this category of drug:

Athletcs power events i.e 100m, Shot Put

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Athletes that might use this category of drug:

Any events that require pain to be masked.

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Athletes that might use this category of drug:

Boiers & Jockeys

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Athletes that might use this category of drug:

Any event with a sprint start & boiers

Performance Enhancing Drugs

Athletes that might use this category of drug:

Cycling, marathon runners (endurance athletes)

Many sports performers use legal substances to maiimise training and performance. This includes vitamins, minerals, bicarbonate, carbohydrate gels/drinks and creatne based supplements.

Legal supplements versus illegal drugs in sport

These are accepted by sport as they do not signifcantly enhance performance or afect the health of an athlete.

Litle is known of the long term efects of prolonged use of legal supplements.

Advantages and disadvantage of taking legal substances:

Advantages Disadvantages

• Some supplements may contain banned substances or are not what they seem to be.

• Research has yet to confrm if there is any long term efects of persistent usage.

• Many energy drinks are high in sugar and other health issues such as obesity or tooth decay might prevail.

• Not in the spirit of fair play in sport.

• Provides a boost to health and well-being.

• Can help recovery process and building muscle.

• Available in a range of formats which make it easier to administer.

• Increased chances of success.

Legal supplements versus illegal drugs in sport

The number of cases where elite athletes have failed drugs tests are on the rise.

Elite performers and illegal drugs/doping

Think. Pair. Share – Why do elite performers use illegal drugs?

1. Pressure to succeedElite athletes are under a huge amount of pressure from

compettors, coaches, family and themselves to win. This pressure can cause individuals to make poor decisions/judgements.

Elite performers and illegal drugs/doping

Politcal pressures are also common motvatng factors especially during home games or events. Politcians enjoy a naton’s success and can lead to a win at all cost attude.

The Russian athletcs scandal highlights the pressure placed on coaches to produce gold medal winning performances.

2. RewardsIn today’s sport, winning and success leads to a higher profle, increased appearance fees and lucratve sponsorship deals.

Elite performers and illegal drugs/doping

Prize money/fame can motvate athletes to cheat and take performance enhancing drugs.

3. To match the compettorsIn some events drug abuse has become so common that athletes ofen say ‘if everyone else is, then I will follow in order to keep up’

Elite performers and illegal drugs/doping

It is difcult to constantly detect new drugs being used by athletes and some believe doping is just a part of sport.

i.e. Over the last decade the Tour de France has had widespread drug doping problems.

Athletes should be aware that doping can have severe health and social consequences.

Consequences and implicatons of doping

Doping is a form of negatve deviancy/cheatng. Performers gain an unfair advantage and undermines the integrity of sport.

Health risks to the performer are clear ranging from organ defects to severe long lastng damage to the body, and even death.

Sports that have been constantly linked to cases of drug taking have had their reputaton damaged. As a result it can be difcult to gain sponsorship deals and will lose public following.

Consequences and implicatons of doping

Negatve press can cause sponsors to withdraw from deals due to their brand being associated and called into queston.

Sports are under increasing pressure to ensure it has a clean image. This has resulted in harsher punishments and stricter testng procedures.

Elite sport is traditonally seen as fair contest between individuals and is an opportunity to watch athletes perform at the highest level.

Consequences and implicatons of doping

Society cannot accept or condone acts of drug taking/doping in sport without individual’s being challenged. Such behaviours go against the cultural norms and values of society.

Can doping ever be eliminated from sport? How?

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Strategies to help stop the use of drugs in sport

WADA is an independent organisaton responsible for drug testng and ant-doping programs and research.

Strategies to help stop the use of drugs in sport

WADA has a list of banned substances which is regularly updated in the light of new drugs being detected.

Think. Pair. Share – What else can WADA do?

Regular and random drug testng during and out of compettons will help to deter cheats.

Strategies to help stop the use of drugs in sport

Advanced research into new ‘undetectable’ drugs will help to eliminate laboratories who manufacture the illegal drugs used by performers.

Educaton of coaches and athletes will aim to raise awareness of the risks and consequences associated with doping.

Strategies to help stop the use of drugs in sport

All governing bodies will have an ant-doping program and will visit training insttutes and schools to educate young potental athletes.

Using both positve and negatve role models can help deliver this message.

Another strategy in the fght against drugs in sport is the introducton of stricter punishments. In 2015, WADA increased bans to 4 years and a lifetme ban for a second ofence.

Strategies to help stop the use of drugs in sport

Medals have also been striped from athletes retrospectvely and bans eitended to coaches too.

What are common incidents of violence in sport and what are the reasons for such acts?

Violence in Sport

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Controlled aggression is a fundamental part of many sports. Sometmes, however, this spills over into an uncontrolled situatons where serious physical injury can be caused.

Think. Pair. Share – Why do players show acts of violence during sportng contests?

Violence in Sport

Violent behaviour can be caused by the following reasons:

• Pressures of the media or infuences of social media.

• Frustraton as a result of losing.

• Sponsorships deals.• Pressure from

spectators / tauntng from crowd or opponents.

• Rivalries between individuals, teams, natons or religions.

Violence in Sport

• As physical retaliaton/as a reacton to a challenge/tackle.

• Over arousal during the game.

• Annoyed by poor decisions by ofcials.

• To gain an advantage / to hurt your opponent controlled aggression may be required for efectve play.

• As a result of the infuence of drugs.

Violence in Sport

It is a widespread belief that sport ofen mirrors society and that violent acts are behaviours infuenced by our surroundings.

Consequences and implicatons of violence

Violent actons on the pitch should be treated the same as violent acts on the street and the law should applied equally.

Using positve role models to highlight eiemplar behaviour is key to removing violence with younger generatons.

Spectators and followers of certain sports have been known to display acts of violence and even hooliganism.

Implicatons to the sport:•Reputaton – a sport can become known for violence and may afect young people taking it up.•Global brand damage – regular violence associated to a sport will afect future sponsorship and investment opportunites.

Consequences and implicatons of violence

To combat violence in sport it is important to educate performers on controlling their emotons and raise awareness of their responsibility as a role model.

Consequences and implicatons of violenceImplicatons of violence for performers are also important to consider. Acts of aggression and violence can result in acute or career ending injuries.

1. Educaton/training:Performers should be

trained to deal will stress and emotonal control through management techniques. In additon, players must be made aware of how behaviours can be copied by those watching.

Strategies to prevent violenceThere are a number of ways to reduce violence in sport:

2. Fair play campaigns:Many governing bodies have introduced fair play programmes and every year nominate teams for fair play awards.

Strategies to prevent violence

3. Stricter punishments by referees and the sport:Match ofcials and governing bodies have increased punishments for violent acts and have the power to deal with incidents retrospectvely. The threat of such actons is ofen enough to deter athletes.

4. Improved refereeing:Efectve ofciatng is a strategy to avoid confrontaton and violence. Many good referees will defuse a potental situaton before it arises.

Strategies to prevent violence

Think. Pair. Share – What is the punishment for arguing with the referee in diferent sports? (Football, Rugby, Netball?)

5. Law enforcements and CCTV:The football Disorder Act (2000) allows the police to arrest people identfed as potental troublemakers. This act prevent them from travelling abroad. Similar banning orders have been issued to known hooligans.

Strategies to prevent violence

Sophistcated police surveillance helps prevent spectator violence or can be used to track down ofenders.

5. Responsible media reportngThe media (TV, radio, newspaper & internet) and social media outlets have a duty to report and highlight both positve and negatve acts of violence in the right way.

Strategies to prevent violence

How has does match fiing and illegal sports betng work?

Gambling in Sport

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Gambling on sport is not illegal however match fiing and bribery is. Wagering and illegal sport betng has been a part of sport from the 19th Century during cock fghtng and pedestrianism.

Gambling in sport

Many people fnd it eicitng to bet on the outcome of a match or event. Today, online gambling sites & applicatons make it even easier to place a bet.

Gambling companies are now also huge sponsors of many sportng teams and events. i.e. Sky Bet football league and William Hill FA Cup

Gambling in sport

Think. Pair. Share – Should this be allowed? Does it encourage gambling?

Match fiing is a global issue with criminals and internatonal ‘fiers’ working all over the world. Players and ofcials can be approached to fi matches and the outcome of events.

Match fiing, Bribery and Illegal Betng

Lower league and development football matches, jockeys and even cricket players have been found to be involved in illegal betng and bribery.

Match fiing does not happen ofen in the UK but is a type of deviance and is unethical.

Apply it! What has stuck with you?

Eiam questons1. Identfy one eiample of an illegal drug used by a sports performer to enhance performance and state one implicaton of such drug taking on society. [2]

Eiample:

Implicaton:

2. Describe two social implicatons of violence in sport. [2]

Practce it!

Marks Scheme:1. anabolic steroids• erythropoietn (EPO)• growth hormone (hGH)• diuretcs• masking agents• glucocortcoids• beta blockers• One implicaton on society (AO3):• shows up society as ‘win at all costs’ or end result more important

than (sports) ethics or that sport is a refecton of (a corrupt) society• to (possibly) ban all athletes who use drugs• to (possibly) accept drug taking or make it legal• to enable more efectve drug testng processes• creates negatve role models• undermines value to society as part of a healthy lifestyle

Practce it!

Marks Scheme:2.• Sports performers are high profle/role models so violence in

elite sport may be copied• Violence in sport can put parents of letng their children

partcipate• Violent behaviour by performers can lead to violence amongst

spectators• Sport refects on society, so if there is violence in sport it is

because that is what some people ‘want’/because society is violent/has violence

• The importance placed upon sport may create the pressure which leads to the violence

• Violence in sport may be a result of other frustraton/could indicate other social issues or individual problems

Practce it!