Sports and Society
Sports are an event that has been a form of entertainment for many years. Throughout the years, sports have evolved from a form of entertainment to a professional activity. Different people hold different beliefs about the importance of sports. While some think the competition aspect of sports is essential, others believe it is a waste of time. Sports have a positive impact on individuals and society. The professionalism aspect of sports has led to adverse effects like drug abuse and cheating. However, the positive impacts of sports in society outweigh the adverse effects.
Sociological Elements in Sports
Sports are an essential aspect in society. Socialization, behavioural processes, structured inequality, social bonding, social organizations, and subcultures are some of the sociological elements present in sports settings (Schultz, 2013, p. 55). Thus, it is evident that the interaction and forms of behaviour current in sports are similar to that of the social contexts. Sports are significant in society as it involves the interaction of individuals, through a combination of interests and skills to create an activity that meets their needs and interests (Aly and Breese, 2018, p. 5). Sports define a society by highlighting the social structures, behavioural patterns, interactions, and gender processes. Globalization has led to the development and expansion of sports ideologies across the globe. Apart from affecting how people view spots in the world, globalization also influences how sports organizations and the manner of conduct. For example, soccer is the most popular sport in the world today. Globalization has enabled the development of international leagues, the creation of a world cup tournament, and recruitment of foreign players. Before globalization emerged, diversification of sports was limited, but the phenomenon has led to the popularization of particular games worldwide.
Globalization and Sports
Globalization has had profound effects on the sports sphere. Today, many companies that manufacture sports gear find it easy to outsource for labor and materials in countries where they see their expenses cheaper. Globalization is an aspect that has broadened the benefits of sports; the number of athletes participating in different kinds of sports has increased across diverse racial and religious constructs, climate barriers, and gender stereotypes.
Encouraging Athletes to Give Back
The athletes in society should be encouraged and educated on the significance of giving back to the community. Encouraging practices like creating foundations for younger athletes and contribution to charitable activities will benefit the underprivileged in the community. The foundations and charities will provide valuable contributions to the community that will be a great help for many generations. For instance, the Live Strong organization by Lance Armstrong and the Jimmy V Foundation are organizations that have raised amounts to fund the advancement of cancer research centers (Nikpour, 2018).
The Role of Sports in Social Mobilization
According to the UN, sport is a tool that can help in social mobilization in communities. Through sports, people convene to witness and fulfill their interests during sports tournaments, making it easy to gather communities for direct public initiatives (United Nations, 2003, p. 20). The crowds make it easy to deliver programs and messages to a large number of people at both national and local levels. Sports festivals and events provide cheaper mediums to pass critical information to the public in a supportive environment. For example, in Ghana, WHO, UNICEF, and the Vaccine Fund organized a sports event that ensured a gathering of all young and adults. In the crowd, the 5-in-1 vaccine was administered, and the event read to a successful reach of over 4000 people in the rural community. Thus, sports are an essential tool when it comes to outreach programs that support health initiatives across the globe.
Promoting Healthy Living Practices through Sports
Sports are an event that can raise awareness about healthy living practices among individuals in a society. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the contributors to ailments like diabetes, obesity, and heart problems that plague most people in the world. The World Health Organization states that physical inactivity is a cause for close to two million deaths per year globally (Nikpour, 2018). Additionally, less than one-third of the youths in the world are active in sports, thus improving their future and present well-being. The most efficient method to improve the health of individuals in a community is through increasing their physical activity (Nikpour, 2018). Regular sporting activities help in maintaining the overall health of an individual. Fitness helps in controlling emotional, physical, and psychological spheres that may lead to a positive behavioral change in people.
The Role of Sports in Global Development
There is an urgency to meet the global development challenges through the inclusion of new sections of society and global partnerships. Sports play an essential role in providing a platform that supports the establishment of these partnerships that foster these developments. Incorporating the different actor's from the private and public sectors, sports organizations, and the community will be an effective way to creating partnerships (United Nations, 2003, p. 21).
Recommendations
Governments should involve other stakeholders like universities and professional sports clubs to come up with programs that will enhance and train people on proper sports management. Moreover, the creation of anti-doping campaigns and awareness initiatives should be a priority. The governments and professional sports clubs should liaise with medical boards and agencies for recovering addicts to aid in curbing substance use in sports; the agencies will educate the athletes on the dangers of using drugs to ensure that people are more accountable and transparency in sporting events.
Sports for Social Good
Sports, when used correctly, are an instrument that fosters teamwork, empathy, respect, and creates bridges where boundaries exist. Different organizations in the world include sports as a strategy to create good in the world. Organizations around the globe need to develop programs that will combat the social exclusion of particular individuals in society. For example, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Thomas Bach contributed a $2 million emergency fund that went to building humanitarian efforts through building an open reception center for refugees in Athens, Greece. In addition, the IOC had named 43 prospective Refugee Olympic Athletes (ROA) to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympics (The Foundation for Global Sports Development, 2016). The President stated that the program was a tool to help the communities torn by war and sports is the most efficient way to create cohesion and inclusion. The creation of plans and initiatives that support the disabled and marginalized individuals in society is an excellent method to ensure integration and advancement of human values like acceptance, respect, fairness, and teamwork.
Reference
ListAly, E.R. and Breese, K., 2018. The Representation of Women in USA Sports, Sports Administrative, and Team Sports Leadership. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 14(5).
Nikpour, N., 2018. Impact of sports is huge in society [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2011-10-02-fl-nncol-sports-oped1002-20111002-story.html
Schultz, B., 2013. and Sports as an Industry. American History Through American Sports: From Colonial Lacrosse to Extreme Sports, 1, p.55.
The Foundation for Global Sports Development, 2016. Sports as a Tool for Social Inclusion and Social Change - Global Sports Development [Video file]. Retrieved from http://globalsportsdevelopment.org/2016/04/27/sports-as-a-tool-for-social-inclusion-and-social-change/
United Nations. Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace, 2003. Sport for development and peace: Towards achieving the millennium development goals. United Nations Publications.
