SPORT ETHICS

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SPORT ETHICS

• "To educate a person in the mind but not the
  morals is to educate a menace to society."
  Teddy Roosevelt

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DEFINITIONS

• Ethics is the study of morals or character a
  study of the principles of human duty or the
  study of all moral qualities that distinguish an
  individual relative to others.
• Moral pertains to an individuals motives,
  intentions, and actions as right or wrong,
  virtuous or vicious, or good or bad.
• Values are anything having relative worth.

• Moral values are the relative worth that is
  placed on some virtuous behavior.
• Principles are universal rules of conduct that
  identify what kinds of actions, intentions, and
  motives are valued.

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MORAL REASONING PROCESS

• Moral Reasoning is the systematic process of
  evaluating personal values and developing a
  consistent and impartial set of moral principles
  by which to live.
• Moral Knowing is the cognitive phase of learning
  about moral issues and how to resolve them.
• Moral Feeling is the basis of what we believe
  about ourselves, such as self-esteem, and
  society, such as empathy for others
• Moral Acting is how we act based on what we know
  and value.

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MORAL REASONING

• Moral reasoning does not promise behavioral
  change, but it does promise individual soul
  searching and reflection on personal beliefs,
  values, and principles. Without this process,
  cognitive moral growth will not increase,
  behavior change will never occur, and the
  potential for consistent moral action become
  little more than a hit or miss proposition.

Stoll and Beller (1998), p. 24
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KOHLBERGS STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

• Stage Six states that universal ethical
  principles and the individual conscience serve as
  the basis for all actions.
• Stage Five expects people to fulfill the social
  contract and show genuine interest in the welfare
  of others.
• Stage Four assumes that people act in conformity
  to the social system and social order.
• Stage Three suggests that people react to the
  expectations of parents, peers, and authority
  figures to gain their approval.
• Stage Two emphasizes following rules for
  self-interest.
• Stage One focuses on obedient actions performed
  to avoid punishment.

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SOCIETAL ATTITUDES TOWARD ETHICAL CONDUCT

• Relativism this belief advocates that
  what is right or wrong is determined based on the
  situation (situation ethics)
• Absolutism there is an absolute moral code
  that should be applied without partiality in
  every situation

• Consequential (utilitarian) theory states that
  the ultimate standard of what is morally right is
  dependent on the greatest amount of good for the
  greatest number of people.
• Non-consequential (Kantian) theory holds that
  there is an inherent rightness apart from all
  consequences.

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WHAT ARE RATIONALIZATIONS FOR UNETHICAL BEHAVIORS
IN SPORT?

• There is no rule against it.
• Everyone else does it.
• This action is not unethical because no one will
  ever know about it.
• Circumstances require acting in this way.

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MORAL JUSTIFICATION

• The unethical action was really ethical that
  is, muddy the waters and make the wrong look
  right.
• The unethical action was a non-issue in the sense
  that the action caused no harm to another
  individual or was unseen by an official that is,
  no foul, no harm.
• A rule was violated but the amount of good
  accomplished overshadowed the small amount of
  harm that occurred that is, the end justifies
  the means.

Stoll Beller, 2006, p 79
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ETHICS AND SPORTSMANSHIP

• Ethics is a matter of being good (character) and
  doing right (action).
• Sportsmanship is a matter of being good
  (character) and doing right (action) in sports.
• The majority of acts that we consider bad in
  sports and call unsportsmanlike are bad
  precisely because they are unfair, dishonest,
  disrespectful, or against the rules.

Gough, 1997, Character is everything Promoting
ethical excellence in sports, pp. 21-22
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WHAT DOES SPORTSMANSHIP LOOK LIKE?

• Playing fair
• Following the letter and spirit of the rules
• Respecting the judgments of officials
• Treating opponents with respect
• Shaking hands at the end of the game
• Never running up the score
• Never cheating
• Never taunting

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GAMESMANSHIP

• Video

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TEACHING HOW TO REASON MORALLY

• The systematic process of evaluating personal
  values and developing a consistent and impartial
  set of moral principles by which to live
• Moral reasoning occurs when you decide that you
  will always strive to do what is right.
• It takes moral courage to act upon what a person
  values.

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PROBLEMS WITH TO MORAL REASONING

• The longer athletes participate in sport, the
  lower their moral reasoning.
• Males have lower levels of moral reasoning than
  do females.
• Team sport athletes show lower levels of moral
  reasoning than do individual sport athletes.
• The moral reasoning of interscholastic athletes
  is less consistent, impartial, and reflective
  than is that of non-athletes.

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THE MORAL ETHOS OF SPORT

• Is an intentional rule violation congruent with
  the moral ethos of sport?
• Is a tactical rule violation, or the breaking of
  the rules on purpose to gain a benefit even
  though there is an associated penalty, ethical?
  Is this an ethical way to attempt to secure a
  victory?
• Is cheating, which is an intentional deception or
  circumvention of the rules that were established
  to maintain fairness, ethical? Is the intent of
  sport to get away with things to gain an
  advantage?
• Are rule violations ethical if they are not
  caught and penalized? If rule violations are
  attempted and penalized, then are these rule
  violations deemed to be acceptable?

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ARE THERE ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUTH SPORTS ABOUT
THESE?

• Cutting a child trying out for a sports team
• Playing the best players (some do not play)
• Keeping the best players in the key positions
• Competing for championships and trophies
• Requiring a child to play a sport
• Specializing in one sport
• Offering teams for one gender only

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ARE THESE ETHICAL ISSUES IN INTERSCHOLASTIC
SPORTS?

• Requiring athletes to pass all subjects
• Specializing in one sport
• Treating male athletes preferentially
• Playing while injured
• Using drugs to enhance performance
• Teaching athletes (by coaches) how to break sport
  rules to gain an advantage
• Giving athletes money or other benefits
• Taunting and gamesmanship

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ARE THESE ETHICAL ISSUES IN INTERCOLLEGIATE
ATHLETICS?

• Requiring athletes to maintain academic
  eligibility and progress toward a degree
• Giving money or tangible gifts to prospective
  college athletes during their recruitment or
  while playing
• Treating male athletes preferentially
• Teaching athletes (by coaches) how to break sport
  rules to gain an advantage
• Making money from the performances of athletes
  while they receive only grants-in-aid

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ARE THESE ETHICAL ISSUES IN INTERCOLLEGIATE
ATHLETICS?

• Using drugs to enhance performance
• Requiring college students to pay fees to support
  athletics
• Allowing students and other fans to shout
  obscenities at or harass visiting athletes
• Using psychological ploy, such as taunting and
  gamesmanship to gain an advantage
• Allowing a television network to dictate the date
  and time of a college competition

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Agree Slightly Agree Slightly
Disagree Disagree 1
2 3
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• Teamwork is important for winning.
• I would taunt my opponent.
• A team must have a good coach to win.
• I would spit on my opponent.
• Luck is a part of winning.
• It is important to shake hands with my
  opponent after a game.
• I have never been in a game where any rules
  were violated.
• Referees decisions will affect a games
  result.
• Intramurals are a waste of time.
• I would deliberately injure my opponent to
  help me win.
• A team must have a star player to be a
  winning team.
• Respecting my opponent gives me a better chance
  of winning.
• The team that prepares the best should win
  the game.
• Winning isnt everything, it is the only
  thing.
• I have never seen or heard someone taunt or
  trash-talk an opponent.
• Respect is an important attribute for a winning
  team.
• Football is a more violent sport than ice
  hockey.

• I must respect my opponent to play my best.
• Basketball is a non-contact sport.
• I would trash-talk my opponent.
• Soccer is a non-contact sport.
• I compliment an opponent for a good play.
• It is OK to run up the score against an
  inferior opponent.
• Basketball players are better athletes than
  baseball players.
• I would "bend the rules" to win.
• It is not whether you win or lose, but how you
  play the game.
• It is not up to players to enforce rules (its
  the referees job).
• Integrity is an important attribute for a winning
  team.
• Intercollegiate athletics are bad for a
  university.
• I would retaliate if I was given a cheap shot
  by my opponent.
• Skill in a sport is more important than hard
  work.
• I play fair.
• Being a good sport (showing sportsmanship) is
  important to winning.
• Every student an athlete, every student
  challenged.