OLYMPISM: OLYMPISM: ETHICAL ISSUESETHICAL ISSUES

The last of a series of three Gresham lectures, in the run-up to the London Olympic Games 2012,

that consider the ethical and political values of the Olympic Movement,

and their educational application.

Prof Dr Jim ParryProf Dr Jim ParryCharles University in PragueCharles University in Prague

'Olympism''Olympism'

not just the elite athlete, but everyonenot just the elite athlete, but everyone

not just a short truce period, but the not just a short truce period, but the whole of lifewhole of life

not just competition and winning, but also not just competition and winning, but also the values of participation and co-the values of participation and co-operationoperation

not just sport as an activity, but also as a not just sport as an activity, but also as a formative and developmental influenceformative and developmental influence

Olympism 2Olympism 2

a universal social philosophy which a universal social philosophy which emphasises the role of sport:emphasises the role of sport:

in world developmentin world development

international understandinginternational understanding

peaceful co-existencepeaceful co-existence

social and moral education.social and moral education.

Philosophical anthropologyPhilosophical anthropology

The philosophical anthropology of Olympism The philosophical anthropology of Olympism promotes the ideals of:promotes the ideals of:

individual individual all round all round harmonious development harmonious development towards towards excellenceexcellence and achievement and achievementthrough through efforteffort in competitive sporting activity in competitive sporting activityunder conditions of mutual under conditions of mutual respectrespect, , fairnessfairness, , justicejustice and and equalityequalitywith a view to creating lasting personal human with a view to creating lasting personal human relationships of relationships of friendshipfriendship; ; international relationships of international relationships of peacepeace, toleration , toleration and mutual understanding;and mutual understanding;and and culturalcultural alliances with the arts alliances with the arts

Concept of SportConcept of Sport

• physical (effort)physical (effort)not chessnot chess

• contest (‘contract to contest’ - competition contest (‘contract to contest’ - competition not mountaineeringnot mountaineering and excellence)and excellence)

• rule-governed (fair play, equality and justice)rule-governed (fair play, equality and justice)

not field sportsnot field sports

• institutionalised (‘lawful authority’)institutionalised (‘lawful authority’)not hula-hoopingnot hula-hooping

• shared values and commitments (respect)shared values and commitments (respect)

Olympism 3Olympism 3

The ‘thin’ values underpinning the rule The ‘thin’ values underpinning the rule structures of sport include:structures of sport include:

fairnessfairnessequalityequalityrespect for othersrespect for othersrule-adherencerule-adherencecontract-keeping contract-keeping

Olympism 4Olympism 4

In addition, the ethos of Olympism emphasises values of:In addition, the ethos of Olympism emphasises values of:

friendshipfriendshipmutual understandingmutual understandingpeacepeacerespect for others’ culturesrespect for others’ cultures

And sporting practices bring awareness of possibilities of:And sporting practices bring awareness of possibilities of:

international co-operationinternational co-operationmutual respect and mutual valuingmutual respect and mutual valuing

Fair PlayFair Play

The essence of Olympic sport is ethical competition, and THIS is what produces personal and social goods.

So: Olympism = ethical sport as an educative influence

And the basis of all of this is the idea of Fair Play, usually And the basis of all of this is the idea of Fair Play, usually thought of as:thought of as:

a virtue of rule-adherencea ‘spirit of sport’ leading to super-erogatory actionsa general attitude towards sport (and even life itself) involving respect for others, modesty in victory, serenity in defeat and generosity towards othersa behavioural ideal for moral education

Fair Play as the Logic of SportFair Play as the Logic of Sport

The primary nature of fair play in sport is:

• not as a moral requirement of virtue, • nor an exhortation to behave well (in moral terms), • nor as a Weltanschauung• nor as an educational tool

but rather as a logically necessary feature of successful engagement in the contest

i.e. you can’t have sport without fair play! (cp. a traffic system)

Fair Play as the Logic of SportFair Play as the Logic of Sport

To freely choose to be accepted into a community of sport practice entails a contractual obligation to duly respect the rules of the practice/institution, as its lawful authority.

To subvert such a contract to contest:• threatens the moral basis of sport, • jeopardises the integrity of the sporting community• erodes public support and trust.

i.e. you will destroy sport (the very thing that gives you a platform!) (the very thing you pretend to value!)

Self-defeating, self-contradictory behaviour – borderline psychotic

Ethical Issue 1 - DopingEthical Issue 1 - Doping

What’s wrong with doping?What’s wrong with doping?

The usual answers:The usual answers:

1.1. drugs enhance performancedrugs enhance performance

2.2. drugs allow athletes to train harderdrugs allow athletes to train harder

3.3. drugs are unnaturaldrugs are unnatural

4.4. they coerce others to use them they coerce others to use them

5.5. they are harmfulthey are harmful

6.6. they are illegalthey are illegal

Ethical Issue 1 - DopingEthical Issue 1 - Doping

So: What So: What ISIS wrong with doping? wrong with doping?

it threatens the ethical basis of sportit threatens the ethical basis of sport

it abrogates the pre-competition agreement it abrogates the pre-competition agreement (the contract to contest) without which we (the contract to contest) without which we can't have sport. can't have sport.

(See BOA vs WADA, with a judgement to be (See BOA vs WADA, with a judgement to be decided on March 12th.)decided on March 12th.)

Ethical Issue 2 - GamblingEthical Issue 2 - Gambling

Dist btw Dist btw sport-fraudsport-fraud and and gambling-fraudgambling-fraud

Match-fixing can be one, the other, or both!Match-fixing can be one, the other, or both!

Besiktas looks like sport-fraudBesiktas looks like sport-fraud

Le Tissier/K Froch are gambling-fraudLe Tissier/K Froch are gambling-fraud(but with a risk also of sport-fraud?)(but with a risk also of sport-fraud?)

Nobbling a horse is bothNobbling a horse is both

Dist btw Dist btw illegal/irregular/unregulatedillegal/irregular/unregulated betting bettingSports authorities are (only?) against unregulated betting. Sports authorities are (only?) against unregulated betting. Why? Because they can’t profit from that!Why? Because they can’t profit from that!

Beware sport/gambling symbiosis – better regulation, please!Beware sport/gambling symbiosis – better regulation, please!

Gambling: Cheating to Lose?Gambling: Cheating to Lose?

Cheating = Cheating = rule-rule-breaking to gain advantage?breaking to gain advantage?(A sport-cheat cheats to win.)(A sport-cheat cheats to win.)

So is it ‘cheating’ if done for betting-gain?So is it ‘cheating’ if done for betting-gain?(Yes? - it has the potential to affect the outcome?)(Yes? - it has the potential to affect the outcome?)

No? – it’s not cheating at No? – it’s not cheating at footballfootball, if cheating is seeking a , if cheating is seeking a football-football-advantageadvantage. He’s cheating at gambling! (It’s gambling-. He’s cheating at gambling! (It’s gambling-fraud, not sport-fraud.)fraud, not sport-fraud.)

‘‘Cheating to lose’ Cheating to lose’ is only possible because, in gambling, is only possible because, in gambling, one can win one thing (the bet) by losing another (the game). one can win one thing (the bet) by losing another (the game).

Ethical Issue 3 - AmateurismEthical Issue 3 - Amateurism

Anglo-amateurism = keep workers out!(a class-based conspiracy – sports clubs were ‘gentlemen’s clubs’)

Was not De Coubertin’s idea of amateurism:extrinsic goals tempt us from ethical sport

intrinsic aims reject questionable means

Fair or Temple?

Ethical Issue 4 - ViolenceEthical Issue 4 - Violence

Dist between aggression and violenceDist between aggression and violenceAggression:Aggression: taking forceful means to your endstaking forceful means to your endsViolence: Violence: intending to harmintending to harm

So, you can be as aggressive as you like, but so long asSo, you can be as aggressive as you like, but so long as you do not intend or risk harm, that’s non-violent.you do not intend or risk harm, that’s non-violent.

And rules of team games reflect this distinction.And rules of team games reflect this distinction.Football and rugby permit any level of aggression, Football and rugby permit any level of aggression, until/unless it threatens to harm, then it’s illegal.until/unless it threatens to harm, then it’s illegal.

{Dist btw an act of violence and a violent act?}{Dist btw an act of violence and a violent act?}

Ethical Issue 5 - DeceptionEthical Issue 5 - Deception

How can sport be morally educative,How can sport be morally educative,when we teach children to deceive?when we teach children to deceive?(Feinting, dummying are just good tactics, right?)(Feinting, dummying are just good tactics, right?)

But isn’t deception also part of cheating?But isn’t deception also part of cheating?(Breaking a rule secretly …)(Breaking a rule secretly …)

Dist btw two different kinds of deception:Dist btw two different kinds of deception:Strategic Deception – within the rules Strategic Deception – within the rules

– – constitutive skills of the sport constitutive skills of the sport Definitional Deception – going against the rulesDefinitional Deception – going against the rules

Conclusion

What do all of these examples show?

That it is Fair Play, seen as the internal logic of sport, that provides the rationale for distinguishing good from bad practice: permissible from impermissible actions.

Fair Play, the basis of the logic of sport, is also the foundation-stone of the ethics of sport.