Sports is Warfare by Peaceful means

894 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An abstract of how the olympics helps politics

Sports are described as a ritualized warfare where one team competes with another, each athlete striving to defeat an opponent (Schultz et al., 32). It is part of an effort to promote global peace and contribute to the search for peaceful solutions to the conflicts around the world. Sports can therefore be considered a universal language and tool to promote peace, tolerant and understanding by bringing people together. As a result values such as teamwork, discipline, respect for opponent and rules of the game are understood.2 I will examine the assertion that sports is considered warfare by peaceful means. This isn’t to be confused with the insertion that sports are peaceful warfare. By peaceful means I am referring to a state of harmony and mutual agreement between two or more parties. Using the Olympic Games as an example I will argue that it does have aspect of warfare. However Olympics doesn’t promote camaraderie which inhibits hostility because of factors such as the politics of choosing an Olympic host, cultural and economic exchange creating greater disparities and the role powerful nations play on worldview while reinforcing colonial ideologies.
Politics has been inseparable from the modern Olympic Games since the decision in 1894 to revive the Games after a fifteen-year lapse (Hill, p.5). Olympic events permit encounters on “neutral” territory where aggression can be “controlled” and regulated.2 I would argue that there isn’t a neutral territory since there’s a home team advantage. Nearly every celebration of the Games was marked by animosity or worse (Hill, p.35). For example, 1968 saw a massacre by the Mexican government of young people who thought the Games a waste of money (Hill, p.36). In 1976 numerous African ...

... middle of paper ...

...ort/peace (accessed Mar.14, 2014).

4. “Sochi 2014: Gay rights protests target Russia’s games”, BBC Europe, February 5, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26043872 (accessed Mar.14, 2014).
Bruckner, Markus, Evi Pappa
2013 News shocks in the data: Olympic Games and their macroeconomic effects http://www.eui.eu/Personal/Pappa/Papers/olympics15March2013.pdf Hill, Christopher
1996 Olympic Politics Athens to Atlanta 1896-1996. Manchester: Manchester University Press

Jamieson, Lynn, Thomas, Orr
2009 Sports and Violence A Critical Examination of Sport. UK: Elsevier.

Keefer, Robert, Jeffrey, Goldstein, David, Kasiarz
1983 Olympic Games participation and Warfare. New York: Springer http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4612-5530-7_11#page-1 Schultz, Emily, Robert Lavenda, and Roberta Dods
2012 Cultural Anthropology. Ontario: Oxford University Press

Show More
Related

  • Introduction To The Philosophy Of Sport Heather Reid Summary

    409 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Introduction to the Philosophy of Sport, Heather L. Reid presents a discussion of how ethics is treated in the arena of Olympism and some of the struggles of defining and how or if the ethical guidelines should be enforced. Reid notes, “Some would say that ethical principles are always the product of a particular culture, so there can no more be universal ethical principles than there can be a universal culture” (Reid, 22). I disagree with the notion that there cannot be universal ethical principles for athletes to follow in sport because even across cultures there are general morals that shape the lives of people from all over the world. For example, murder and cheating are inherently immoral actions, no matter where someone comes from;

    Read More

  • The Effect of the 1936 Berlin Olympics on the Nazi's Persecution of the Jews and the Road to World War 2

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    Walters, Guy. Berlin Games: How the Nazis Stole the Olympic Dream. New York: William Morrow, 2006. Print.

    Read More

  • Nazi Olympics

    605 Words  | 2 Pages

    Theme:     Many events of The Nazi Olympics surround this sporting festival to make it one of the controversial events in sport history. Not only does Mandell cover the 1936 Olympic Games themselves but he gives insight to the history of the modern games, participation by the United States, the role of the games in the Nazi propaganda efforts and portrays heroes and key figures. Mandell wrote about the intersection of sport and politics and how world leaders set the agenda, not the athletes. The Nazi’s used the 1936 Olympic Games as a way to reinforce their political and racial goals. Although they were founded as part of a vision of world peace, the 1936 games became a stage for political disputes.     The Nazi Olympics takes an in depth look at the efforts the Germans made to show the rest of the world that they had again become a powerful nation under the leader of Adolf Hitler. The events that followed the games in Germany, mainly the Holocaust and World War II overshadowed the Berlin games. However, it is very important to note that a world gathering like the Olympics took place in a country that was in the process of eliminating an entire race of people. The games were a huge success in regards to the Nazi regime, they were able to fool the world and prove to Germany that they were a peaceful and stable nation.

    Read More

  • Deviance in Sports: Four Categories of Violence

    1728 Words  | 4 Pages

    Coakley, J. J., & Donnelly, P. (2007). Violence in Sports . Sports in society: issues & controversies (9th ed., pp. 198-199). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

    Read More

  • The Nazi Olympics of 1936

    1252 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most people would classify the Berlin Olympic Games of 1936 as just another Olympics, and they would be right because the Games did have the classic triumphs and upsets that occur at all Olympic Games. What most people did not see, behind the spectacle of the proceedings, was the effect the Nazi party had on every aspect of the Games including the results. Despite Nazi Germany’s determination to come off as the superior nation in the 1936 Olympics, their efforts were almost crushed by the very people they were trying to exclude.

    Read More

  • Why Sports Matter in our History and Our Lives

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    When discussing why sports matter and the influence it has had over the course of history, many controversial issues have been whether or not sports have taught us to cultivate discipline. Sheed explains that sports can play an important role in the lives of people by helping them discover who they are and where they want to be. The lesson of sports goes deeper than just practicing or playing a game, they help build characteristics that will prepare you for many obstacles in life. Sheed mentions that sports were created and put into schools to teach discipline, patience, and honesty to male students. He continues to point out that sports are very competitive and that sportsmanship and discipline does not matter anymore, but instead the very need to win. In “Why Sports Matter,” Wilfrid Sheed, contends that “sports did not only outlaw cheating but drilled its participants to detect and despise it in each other”. This was a crucial lesson taught to a nation based on transactions.

    Read More

  • Politics and its affect on the olympics

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    Politics is the art or science of government or governing, especially the governing of a political entity, such as a nation, and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs. The Olympic Games is an event held every 4 years, which includes a variety of sporting activities in which different countries compete against one another. “Sport is frequently a tool of diplomacy”. By sending delegations of athletes abroad, states can establish a first basis for diplomatic relations or can more effectively maintain such relations” (Espy 3). One might think that politics and the Olympics have nothing to do with each other, but in fact, they do have a lot in common.

    Read More

  • The Application of Social Conflict Theory to Football

    1850 Words  | 4 Pages

    Research guided by conflict theory generally falls into the following categories: 1) studies of how athletes become alienated from their own bodies; 2) studies of how sports can be used to coerce and control people; 3) studies of sports and the development of commercialism in society; 4) studies of sports and various forms of nationalism and militarism; and 5) studies of sports and racism and sexism. (Coakley, 1998) In the book, Meggyesy provided examples of each of these categories which occurred during his footba...

    Read More

  • Nationalism In Sports Essay

    1156 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sports throughout history have shown close ties and relations to values and cultures of a society. Sports and competition have adapted and grown as the world and people have grown and developed. Sports are often seen as simple consequence of the industrial revolution. The Impact of increased urbanization, better communication and transportation, as well as more time and income for specialization, all led to the creation of sports. (szymanski). In essence As the public sphere grew so did the concept of sport. (Szymanski). Even the impact colonization had on spreading sports, shows the congruence between the development of society and development of modern sports. What make sports very unique is that they always bring about a sense of culture

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Sport Has The Power To Change The World

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    Referring to slide two Nelson Mandela once said that “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.” Sport is one of the biggest and strongest unifiers in the world. Although there may be certain issues within a country or the world such as political affiliations, gender, race and ideologies, sport always seems to bring people closer regardless of the current issues at hand.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Olympic Games

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ing and honorable events in world history. There were four crucial parts in the Olympic history that change the games forever. Meaning it changed in all equality from the origin in 766 B.C.E all the way to modern day today which is the latest games in 2012. These games always kept running because it gave people a new way of living by seeing all the different types of countries competing and showing off the skill. This was what most athletes worked for. These games set honorable meaning as the modern day games begun they would light a torch that would symbolize the games had begun. These games weren't just games to some people these games were ways to get a worldwide message across no matter if it was about race, gender, or even life. These games shifted in a way that no one could really explain but it gave everyone a sense of what's really out there in this world.

    Read More

  • The History Of The Olympic Games

    1381 Words  | 3 Pages

    Introduction Today, the Olympic Games are the world's largest pageant of athletic skill and competitive spirit. They are also displays of nationalism, commerce and politics. Well-known throughout the world the games have been used to promote understanding and friendship among nations, but have also been a hotbed of political disputes and boycotts. The Olympic games started thousands of years ago and lasted over a millennium.. The symbolic power of the Games lived on after their demise, and came to life again as the modern Olympic Games being revived in the last century. Both the modern and Ancient Olympics have close similarities in there purpose and in there problems.

    Read More

  • Controversies Surrounding the Summer Olympics

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    For the past few years there has been a very controversy issue that has been plaguing the Summer Olympics. The Summer Olympics was first held in 1896, it’s an international multi-sport where athletes around the world come to compete with other athletes from different countries. There are many events that are held in the Summer Olympics ranging from Track and Field all the way to Volleyball and Basketball. In each Olympic event there are medals that earned to the winners, the first place winners get a gold medal, the second place winners get a silver medal, and the third place winners gets a bronze medal.

    Read More

  • Essay On Sports Teach Life Lessons

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, it is explicit that sports is a positive influence on athletes, spectators and the world as a whole as it teaches imperative life lessons as well as allows its participants to experience enjoyment, fulfilment and gratification. As mentioned previously sports enables its players to bring out the best in others and create unity amongst groups as team work is so essential. This highlights the views I have in conjunction with the views of Joe Humphrey.

    Read More

  • Physical, Mental, and Social Benefits of Playing Sports

    1220 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sports, a very popular past time today, have been around since ancient times.  Greek Olympic Games featured events from chariot races, javelin throws, to wrestling.  In addition, a game similar to soccer was played in China by the second century BC.  In England, a violent rugby type game was even played to settle feuds between villages.  With the development of the industrial revolution and the creation of the first public schools, sports decreased in violence and were played more recreationally and constructively.  Basketball was invented to help the youth in New England spend their energy in the winter months.  Since the early 1900’s sports have been a key experience in the United States (“History of Sports”).  I have played sports for many years, and the experience has helped me grow significantly as an individual.

    Read More

More about Sports is Warfare by Peaceful means

Open Document