What Are the Main Arguments For and Against Sports Participation?

Sports (or sports) refers to any types of typically competitive physical activity that, through organised or casual competition, aim to employ, build or hone physical aptitude and skills, while also providing entertainment for participants, and sometimes, spectators. Sports can be broadly categorized into two: contact sports (for example, boxing) and non-contact sports (for example, basketball). The former are typically competitive; the latter are generally open to play, but with rules and regulations preventing competitors from using certain techniques that might otherwise advantage them. Examples include cycling, kayaking, snorkeling, horseback riding, aerobics, tennis and swimming. Sports can also be divided further into specific types, for example, games like tennis, badminton, table tennis, swimming, basketball, baseball, football, golf and softball.

One of the most popular ways to participate in sports is to compete in organised competitions, with the hope of winning prizes and being acknowledged for your achievements. However, while competition can provide a great deal of enjoyment and challenge, it is important to ensure fair competition, both on an individual level and within international sports competition. This is where sport science comes into play. A sport science approach to a sporting event will typically look at both the physiological and psychological aspects of the players, as well as looking at any potential influences of the environment, such as weather and safety measures.

In order to benefit from sporting participation and to ensure fair competition between competitors, there are a number of factors that must be taken into account. The physiological and psychological attributes of the athlete are considered, as is the expertise of the participant, the type of competition they are taking part in, as well as their skill and tactics. In addition to these factors, there are several additional considerations that are taken into account by a sport science consultant. These include:

While all the different factors involved in sports can have an effect on the success or failure of a sport participation, the main article focuses on the psychological and physiological factors that can impact on sport performance and the involvement in competitive sports. The psychological factors that can potentially affect sport performance include the thoughts, feelings and attitudes that players and teams hold regarding a particular sport and its respective teams, as well as any tension or rivalry that may exist. Furthermore, the sports actions or conditions can potentially promote or deter particular attitudes, as well as individual abilities. There are also specific effects that a specific competition may have on motivation, such as the existence of prize money, prestige, or other forms of recognition.

Another factor considered by a sports science specialist during the process of evaluating participation in competitive sporting events, is the level of disability that a person may experience. As well as considering current disability status, the main article discusses the different types of disability that a person may experience. These categories include physical disability, psychological disability and other forms of handicap. The various categories of disability that exist in relation to sport participation include muscular weakness, mental ability or concentration, vision impairment, hearing impairment, mobility impairment or balance problem. However, as the main article discusses, the categories of disability are not mutually exclusive, with some individuals being eligible for more than one category, while others may only qualify for one.

Finally, the main article examines whether the rules of an event are fair. This includes assessing whether an action takes place in accordance with the spirit of the game, whether there is a level playing field, and whether there are consequences for unfairly awarded points, for example by the presence of ineligible players. Additionally, the main article discusses whether spectators, coaches and officials are able to administer fair play. This includes judging whether the game has been played fairly and attempting to eliminate bias. Finally, the main article discusses that the rules should be simple and easy to understand, so that the most number of people can take part without difficulty.