The Ethics Of Diving In Soccer

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The act of diving in soccer has had damaging effects to the game in terms of integrity and sportsmanship. Many athletes use this tactic to gain an advantage as Rory tried to do to help his team win. As the president of the organization that runs this professional soccer league, this type of behavior is intolerable. Rory’s actions are not representative of the high standards that this league upholds. Cheating is not the right word to describe how diving is used in soccer. This action is unethical and dishonourable to the beloved game of soccer and to sport as a whole. A new ruling from this professional league would not deem diving as cheating, rather it would be considered unsportsmanlike and those who use this tactic immorally will suffer …show more content…

The focus for this issue is the ethical responsibility of the organization, which should consider what various stakeholders consider fair and just (not just the views of the organization). The new rule of this league will fine athletes for their misconduct and depending on the magnitude of the consequences from the dive (injuring another player), the player may have to serve a suspension. The league believes that this rule will show the teams that this is not a problem to be taken lightly. The integrity of the game needs to be restored and this seems to be the most appropriate way to address this. Not only does this rule affect the league and the teams in it, but the overall game of soccer is also affected. This model will change the way that the game is played and should influence teams to change their strategies into those that are fair and good for the game. As Bennett Daviss (1999) wrote, companies are changing the way they run their businesses to promote positive social change and this new rule is a good example of that. Turning towards more socially responsible practices in business also increase profits. Suspending culprits from these soccer teams might not sell out stadiums, but the courage and bravery that the league is showing should inspire communities to exercise ethical …show more content…

Professional athletes serve as role models to young competitors and with this new change, the younger athletes will recognize this and strive to play with the character that the new ruling brings. When athletes prioritize success over fair play, Sezen-Balçikanli (2014) terms this as “technocratic ethics.” This mindset has become a major in problem in sport as it has perpetuated into youth players. Miller, Roberts and Ommundsen (2004) found that young athletes with a strong mastery climate (commitment, respect for social conventions and rules) showed more sportsmanship, while athletes who showed less respect and concern for social conventions displayed a weaker mastery climate. The new rule changes the outlook of the game and this also relieves some pressure and stress from the referees. With the increase of simulations over the years, it makes the referee’s job more difficult to determine if a player is actually injured or feigning one. The rule removes pressure from officials because the league ultimately decides if a player acted inappropriately, and the referees can assist in bringing integrity back to the game. Athletes who really experience injuries in games are also protected by this rule. With the league determining simulations and fake injuries, the referees will able to distinguish between the athletes who actually get hurt. For this scenario, younger athletes

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