Arguments against Professional or Competitive Sport
- Sport has become a business
- Professional sport encourages people to compete for money
- Many sports stars are only concerned about money and fame
- Some athletes take drugs in order to win at any cost
- Competitors are often selfish and rude
- They are not good role models for children
- All sports should be amateur
- Sports should be leisure activities rather than jobs
- People should do sporting activities for enjoyment and health reasons
- Taking part is more important than winning
Arguments for Professional Sport
- Professional sports are the same as any other business
- Many people are employed in the sports industry
- People should be able to use their talents to earn a salary
- Sports stars entertain millions of people
- Money is necessary to improve facilities and train athletes
- The level of professional sport is much higher than that of amateur sport
Arguments for Competitive Sport
- Competition is a natural instinct in humans
- In daily life we compete to get jobs or the highest grades
- Sports are a safe form of competition
- Competition is healthy because it pushes us to give our best
- Competitors and fans can release energy and aggression
- Supporters of teams feel a sense of belonging to a community
Opinion: Professional Sport Salaries are too high
- Sports professionals earn too much money
- They do not provide a vital service
- Football players, for example, earn enormous salaries by simply kicking a ball
- We could all live happily without professional football
- Life would be difficult without doctors, engineers and other vital professionals.
- Society does not seem to value these professions as highly as professional sport
- Sports salaries should be compatible with the wages most people earn
Opinion: Professional Sport Salaries are fair
- It is fair that the best professional earn a lot of money
- Sport is a multi-million-pound industry
- There is a large audience of sports fans
- Sports on television attract many viewers
- Sports stars have dedicated hours of practice to developing their fitness and skills
- Only the most talented among them will reach the top
- A sports career many only last 10 years
- Sports fans are willing to pay to support their teams
Sports and Politics
- Some people think that sport and politics should remain separate
- Governments are involved in the hosting of sporting events such as the Olympics.
- These events attract investment and create
- The Olympic Games are an advertisement for the host nation
- They attract huge numbers of visitors and sports fans
- Wealthy countries tend to hold these events
- Developing countries should be given the chance to become hosts
