Critical issues in sports sociology
Sports play various roles in today’s society. Other than entertainment, people have grown to rely on sports for employment and also as a reflection of the morals and ethics shared by people in different communities. Athletes, their teams, and the organizations they represent are held in the same regard as politicians, celebrities, and influential people in society. Their conduct, morals, and beliefs are therefore expected to reflect the morals upheld by society and the entire ethical community. The position that sports hold in society can therefore enable them to contribute to changes in public understanding of important social issues like racism, unemployment, and gender inequality among others.
Sports can help break stereotypes and negative perceptions that people have of different races and ethnic groups. The majority, if not all teams and sports organizations recruit athletes based on their performance and contribution to the team. As a result, sports teams are comprised of team members from different backgrounds with diverse cultures and beliefs. The team members also come from different races to form a functional team (Ekholm, 2016). Other than team members, sports organizations employ staff from diverse backgrounds. Their approach to embracing diversity can help people break from stereotypes that result in oppression and discrimination of others in the community. A team made up of African Americans, whites, Latinos and other races allow people to see past their differences and break stereotypes that suggest some races work harder than others (Ekholm, 2016). Success for African American athletes also breaks stereotypes like African Americans being prone to crime as it presents a different image for members of the African American community.
Also, sports create opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to work together towards achieving a common goal. Despite the various stereotypes that exist in society, teams comprising diverse players continue to enjoy success in their fields. This communicates to society that African Americans can work alongside Whites, Latinos, Asians, and people from other races because success is not dependent on race or culture (Woods, 2020). Sporting events can therefore act as showcase events where people’s differences are set aside and athletes, staff, and spectators from different ethnic backgrounds come together to enjoy sports. Such events can also create awareness of the need to end vices like racism, gender discrimination, and other differences that are used to discriminate against minorities.
The policies and codes of conduct can also be used to promote policies and laws that encourage people to embrace diversity and discourage issues like racism and gender discrimination. Different sports teams and organizations maintain strict moral and ethical standards (Coakley, 2003). All players and members of staff are expected to conduct themselves morally and maintain positive ethical conduct both on and off the field. Athletes are expected to portray themselves as role models and maintain the positive image that their team is associated with. Such codes of conduct can be emulated by schools, government organizations, and different institutions to encourage their stakeholders to maintain good morals (Coakley, 2003). Sporting teams can educate other organizations and further create guidelines for other organizations to emulate. The example set by sporting organizations can provide tried and tested approaches that seek to end social injustices and further help people to understand the impact that social issues have on society.
Issues relating to unemployment can also be resolved through the intervention of sports. The attitude that people have towards specific races greatly affects the willingness of employers to hire individuals from certain backgrounds. Organizations that share the misconception that African Americans are more prone to crime than whites are more likely to hire whites and discriminate against candidates from other races (Mertzman, 2016). Sporting events can however reshape the attitudes that people have towards different races by showcasing their talents, commitment to excellence, and how their role contributes to the overall growth and success of the team. This in turn helps to create a positive image that helps employers to form unbiased opinions about candidates despite their different backgrounds.
The involvement of individuals from different ethnic backgrounds can also help people to embrace diversity in the workplace. Most teams involved in sports are made up of athletes and employees from different ethical backgrounds. The approaches that the teams employ to remain successful despite these differences can be used by different organizations as a way to enhance diversity and work together despite the differences that exist (Rodriguez, 2017). Sporting events also act as a platform to showcase the special skills and abilities of each player. This in turn helps people to appreciate the achievement made by different athletes regardless of their ethnic background. The success that athletes enjoy in their respective fields helps people to break away from stereotypes that portray people as being prone to crime, violent, or lazy. The positive image that sports create helps to create awareness of the harm that issues like racism and gender discrimination have on the victim and thus helps to eradicate them from society.
Sports can also help to create awareness on the importance of education and encourage other organizations to help promote education even in poverty-stricken areas. Different sporting organizations offer a scholarship to athletes who have talent but lack the means to access good quality education. To qualify and retain the scholarship, individuals are expected to maintain good grades, portray moral conduct, and act as good role models in society (Sheppard, 2020). The emphasis on good grades helps individuals to understand the importance of education in a person’s life and how achieving success in other fields should never come at the expense of attending school.
Sports organizations that offer scholarships to students can also encourage the government and individuals to help those living in poverty secure education. Creating awareness on the importance of good quality education and access to programs that seek to help those living in poverty can help raise the not well off above the poverty line. Through sports, organizations and well-wishers can contribute funds to build schools and improve those already operational in poverty-stricken areas (Sheppard, 2020). Sports can then be used as a tool to encourage people to enroll not only to gain an education but also to get promising positions in top teams in the community and also at an international level. The exposure can also help to get the government and charity organizations involved and help initiate programs and policies that seek to offer education opportunities to individuals from poor backgrounds.
The influence that sports have in society can also be used to create awareness on social issues that are not common in the public eye. Sports events like football and rugby are watched by people from different parts of the world. Their popularity has made sporting events a lucrative platform for businesses that seek to advertise their products to the sports community and fans (Guridy, 2021). Similarly, issues like corruption, gender inequality, diseases, and other social issues can be showcased during sporting events. Information regarding their cause and effects and also how to eradicate such issues can be shared through these platforms as a call to action. Spectators and other stakeholders in turn learn about common social issues and also some that may not be common in society (Guridy, 2021). The awareness created can help get other people involved in the fight to end such issues and also encourage the victims to report the issues and seek help.
Other than influence, sports organizations can have a direct role in starting schools and other organizations that seek to help the poor, orphans, and other victims of the issues that trouble society. Sports academies can help individuals from poor backgrounds to improve their skills in sports and also start schools that help the same individuals in academics (Coakley, 2003). The ethics they learn in school combined with the morals and code of conduct upheld by athletes will help the individuals grow into respectable members of society. Their experiences are also likely to discourage the individuals from engaging in any misconduct or discriminate against others who face the same challenges they did (Ekholm, 2016). The education gained will help athletes to secure employment not only through sports but also in different fields. Those who do not make it in sports, therefore, have a chance for a better future and can raise themselves out of poverty without relying on sports alone.
Donations can also be made to schools and charity organizations serving in poverty-stricken places. Stereotypes and common misconceptions about people from different aces and cultural backgrounds also contribute to how resources are divided in society. Communities associated with African Americans for instance have lesser educational and career opportunities compared to those dominated by whites. Schools in such environments, therefore, lack basic resources and students are forces to make the most of what they have (Rodriguez, 2017). The quality of education they receive is therefore limited and this greatly limits their exposure to the opportunities that a good education offers. Donations made from sports organizations can help to equip schools with supplies and equipment and also recruit and educate teachers on how to offer the best quality of education. Students will in turn gain skills and knowledge that can be implemented in real-life settings, secure employment, and raise themselves out of poverty.
Sporting organizations can also create a better understanding of the issues that exist in society by leading by example. The sporting industry has grown and it employs a lot of people across the globe. Other than athletes, the industry employs coaches, team doctors, counselors, fitness experts, and other professionals (Sheppard, 2020). The industry can therefore embrace diversity engage in positive employer-employee conduct and other activities that promote positive social behaviors. The sports industry can also assist other organizations to develop a culture that focuses on addressing issues that exist in society. Helping to resolve some of the issues that trouble society should be considered as part of accomplishing an organization's goals and objectives (|Sheppard, 2020). Getting other organizations and the government involved will create more awareness on social issues, the injustices attributed to them, their effect on the victims, and also measures taken to resolve them.
The popularity of athletes that are treated like celebrities can also help to communicate the importance of addressing social issues and the role that individuals, groups, and the government play in resolving them. The sports community can design advertisements, videos, and other forms of mass communication addressing the social issues that exist in society as well as what can be done to resolve them (Sheppard, 2020). The audience is likely to heed the call to action made by athletes they respect and therefore have a bigger impact during implementation. The athletes selected should be a reflection of the image the organization is trying to portray and should maintain good ethical behavior. It is also important to encourage the athletes to seek out more innovative ways to identify issues in society as a way of giving back to society.
Majority of the issues that exist in society have developed over time and will require a lot of intervention before they are resolved. The different policies and movements that have been started by organizations and the government require support from individuals and major institutions like the sports industry. The popularity of sports has created a platform with a wide reach especially because some sporting events are watched by viewers from different parts of the world. Through sports, an issue such as racism can be addressed and people from different parts of the world can unite to bring an end to such vices in society. Commenting about social issues that exist in remote parts of the world can also help to create awareness and get the right people involved and help resolve it where possible. The sports industry can also act as a role model for other organizations by setting a positive example. Instead of just focusing on profit and personal growth, the sports industry should encourage its stakeholders to dedicate their resources and time towards eradicating some of the issues that exist in society. The goal should therefore be to create awareness and also create a call to action that encourages individuals, organizations, and the government to address issues that exist in society and come up with different ways to resolve them.
References
Coakley, J. J., & Coakley, J. J. (2003). Sports in society: Issues and controversies. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Ekholm D, (2016) “Sports as a means of responding to social problems” retrieved from, https://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:954819/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Guridy, F. A. (2021). The sports revolution: How Texas changed the culture of American athletics. University of Texas Press
Mertzman, R. A. (2016). Exploring sports and society: The essential companion. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt.
Rodriguez D, (2017) “Athletes leading social change through sports” Peace and Sports, retrieved from, https://www.peace-sport.org/opinion/athletes-leading- social-change-through-sports/
Sheppard, S. N. (2020). Sporting blackness: Race, embodiment, and critical muscle memory on screen. University of California Press
WOODS, R. O. N. B. U. T. L. E. R. B. N. A. L. A. N. I. (2020). SOCIAL ISSUES IN SPORT. S.l.: HUMAN KINETICS.
