Violence in sports Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Violence in sports involves intentional aggressive violence. Competitive sports, such as football (soccer), ice hockey, basketball, may involve aggressive tactics, but actual violence in sports falls outside the boundaries of good sportsmanship. Particularly contact sports such as American football, rugby union/league, boxing and wrestling. Violence in sports may include threats, verbal abuse, or physical harm and may be carried out by athletes, coaches, fans, spectators, or the parents of young athletes.
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2 Tactical considerations 3 Cultural Considerations 4 Types of Violence 5 Notable Events 6 Prevention 7 See also |
Causes
"Intermittent explosive disorder" may be a cause of violence. Some athletes may be genetically predisposed to violence or (particularly in male athlete cases) have unusually high testosterone levels. Animal behaviour ethology studies may also lend a clue, as athletes may resort to violence to establish territory. For example, a 1920s National Hockey League incident involved Eddie Shore’s assertion of territorial dominance over newcomers Sprague Cleghorn and Billy Coutu; in retaliation, Coutu severed Shore’s ear.
In some sports, such as American football and ice hockey, traumatic brain injury, whose high incidence has only recently been realized, may also reduce players' emotional control. The National Football League and the National Hockey League now have procedures to facilitate the detection of concussion.
Previous rivalry feelings between two competitors might also induce violence during a sporting event; such is the case of WNBA basketball stars Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson: high school teammates, they fought each other for their team's starting role at the center position. Although they have had no major altercation, they have become close to fighting during some games between Leslie's Los Angeles Sparks and, in Thompson's case, the Houston Comets.
In ice hockey, violence is often a tactic. In particular a team's "enforcer" may protect a star player who is a less skilled fighter by fighting players who harass the star. Recent rule changes in the NHL, however, have reduced the incidence of intimidation tactics, such as attacking a player without provocation.
Some sports psychologists and sports psychiatrists have expressed concerns about the impact on children. Media sometimes broadcast unfiltered scenes of violence, sometimes showing shots over and over while the incident is a hot media topic. Critics worry that children may copy activities or become desensitized to violence.
Athletes sometimes resort to violence, in hopes of injuring and intimidating opponents. Such incidents may be part of a strategy developed by coaches or players. An example of a pre-arranged strategy is the 99-call used by the British Lions Rugby Union team in their 1974 tour of South Africa, as a pre-arranged all-out attack on the South African team if one of the South African players was deemed to have committed a violent infraction that would go unpunished by the home referees. This was arranged on the (correct) assumption that the home referee could not send off all the Lions if they all retaliated simultaneously to violence.
In boxing, unruly or extremely violent behaviour by one of the contestants often results in the fighter breaking the rules being penalized with points taken off, or, in extreme cases, disqualification. Outlawed tactics in boxing include hitting the opponent on the back of the head, under the belly, during clinching, and to the back. Other tactics that are outlawed, but less seen, are pushing an opponent extremely hard to the floor, or hitting after the bell repeatedly.
Violence by supporters of sports teams dates back to Roman times, when supporters of chariot racing teams were frequently involved in major riots. A notable example of this is the Nika riots of 532.
Montreal Canadiens fans rioted in the 1950s, after Maurice Richard received a suspension.
The actions of English football hooligans in the 1980s caused English teams to be banned from European competition for six years after the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985. Although the level of football-related violence was significantly reduced in England after this event, in the recent Euro 2004 tournament, England were publicly warned that any violence by supporters at matches could result in the team's expulsion from the tournament. Many known hooligans were prevented from travelling to the tournament in Portugal. There was a collective sigh of relief from security experts the USA when England faild to qualify for the 1994 Football World Cup. Alan Rothenberg (chairman of the World Cup organising committee in the United States in 1994) said:
In 1990, a match between Red Star Belgrade and Dynamo Zagreb was abandoned after ten minutes with thousands of fans fighting each other and the police. One Zagreb player was seen to kick a policeman, and after an hour long riot, the stadium was set on fire.
In 1993, Monica Seles was stabbed by a Steffi Graf fan during a changeover at a tennis match in Germany.
In 1994, Vancouver Canucks fans rioted in the streets of Vancouver after their team lost in the Stanley Cup finals.
During the 1994 World Cup, Colombia football (soccer) player Andres Escobar accidentally scored an own goal (put the ball in his own net), causing the team to lose 2-1 to the United States. On his return to Colombia, Escobar was confronted outside a bar in Medellín by a gunman who shot the player six times, reportedly shouting 'goal' for each bullet fired.
In July 2000, 13 people were trampled to death in a riot at a World Cup qualifying match in Harare, after South Africa took a 2-0 lead.
Other notable events include
In most sports, officials or referees impose penalties when athletes step outside the bounds of normal competitive play. Formal sporting organizations, such as the NHL, NBA, UEFA, sometimes impose suspensions, expulsions or fines.Tactical considerations
Cultural Considerations
Although criminal justice authorities have historically avoided pressing charges against athletes, these authorities may also come from cultures where domestic violence was or is also tolerated under the guise of a social contract -- an unwritten agreement in an ongoing relationship. By pursuing athletes, officials may be seen as interfering in a social contract. It can be difficult to determine whether athletes invoke a social contract for violence each time they step on to the field, stadium or court. However, in some cultures, authorities have stepped in, such when police occasionally press charges in the National Hockey League.Types of Violence
Physical violence
Verbal abuse
Athletes, fans, parents, and coaches sometimes take part in verbal abuse, screaming at players, coaches, officials, and fans. In European football, UEFA and has had to warn a number of teams about racist chants from supporters, and on some occasions has fined teams or forced them to play home matches with no supporters allowed in the ground due to racist behaviour of supporters.Fan violence
In the stands and the streets, fans may resort to violence to express loyalty to a team, anger at a team’s performance, or to intimidate opponents. Violence may also be related to nationalism or as an outlet for underlying social tensions. It is often alcohol-related.
After Marvin Hagler knocked out Alan Minter in three rounds to win boxing's world Middleweight title at Wembley Arena in 1980, many of Minter's supporters began to throw beer cans, bottles and other objects to the ring. Both Hagler and Minter, along with their respective handlers, had to be escorted out by Scotland Yard. Parental Violence
The parents of athletes occasionally become violent. Some taunt or hit coaches, players, and other parents. Others bully their own children, lashing out as punishment or misguided encouragement. In 2000, hockey dad Thomas Junta of Reading, Massachusetts was watching his 10-year-old son at a summer ice hockey practice. Concerned about aggressive play, he yelled at coach Michael Costin of Lynnfield, Massachusetts. A fight ensued, spilling into the hallway. Junta, who was 100-pounds heavier, repeatedly punched Costin in the face, while holding him down with a knee to the chest. Junta’s sons begged him to stop and another adult broke up the fight, but Costin died. Junta was later handed a six-to-10-year sentence for manslaughter.Ritual violence
High school, college, and even professional sports teams often include initiation ceremonies (known as hazing in the USA) as a rite of passage. A 1999 study by Alfred University and the NCAA found that approximately four out of five college US athletes (250,000 per year) experienced hazing.[1] Half were required to take part in alcohol-related initiations, while two-thirds were subjected to humiliation rituals.Notable Events
The most notable event in sport-related violence was the Heysel Stadium disaster, when 39 people died when a wall collapsed under pressure of Juventus supporters fleeing from 'football hooligans' supporting Liverpool F.C. Prevention
Specialists in preventing sports violence have recommended emphasizing sportsmanship among young players, promoting positive sports role models, banning alcohol, and imposing tougher penalties for athletes. Some critics suggest that sports psychology professionals could also counsel athletes, but coaches, parents and athletes may balk at accusations of emotional damage.