Define Sport

**GoreBag** · 09-16-2005, 07:35

The thread about Atheism in the Backroom and a Powerade commercial reminded me of many a conversation I've had involving the definition of sport. How is a sport different from a game? What is the essence of sport?

I'm more interested in hearing different opinions on it than really debating it out, but let's see what happens.

To me, a sport is defined by two criteria:

1) The sport must have a clear and inarbitrary winner. Tug-of-war, soccer (football), long jump and wrestling are sports by this criterion. Figure skating, ballroom dancing, diving and synchronised swimming, since they require judges to score, are therefore, not sports.

2) The competitor may only rely on the facilities of his own person. His logic, awareness, strength and endurance will often come into play. This excludes auto racing and horse racing, most immediately, but also present problems in light of more "developed" competitions where equipment become an important factor. Speed skating, cycling, hockey, football and golf are all called into question by this criterion because equipment is never standardised, or even encouraged to vary.

Personally, I think that making a sport more complicated and fine-tuning its components (especially equipment) detracts from the essence of competition.

Mods, if this runs out of hand, feel free to move into the Backroom.

**Gawain of Orkeny** · 09-16-2005, 07:43

The competitor may only rely on the facilities of his own person. His logic, awareness, strength and endurance will often come into play. This excludes auto racing and horse racing, most immediately, but also present problems in light of more "developed" competitions where equipment become an important factor. Speed skating, cycling, hockey, football and golf are all called into question by this criterion because equipment is never standardised, or even encouraged to vary.

So you have eliminated just about all modern "sports" . Under your criteria only track and wrestling or boxing seem to come under the heading of sports.We went through all this on my thread are race car drivers atheltes

**GoreBag** · 09-16-2005, 07:50

Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

So you have eliminated just about all modern "sports" . Under your criteria only track and wrestling or boxing seem to come under the heading of sports.We went through all this on my thread are race car drivers atheltes

Did we? My mistake.

Boxing has judges, so it's a no go.

I still consider hockey, soccer, football, and most olympic sports to be sports. I just think that they're drifting from the focus of true sport.

**Gawain of Orkeny** · 09-16-2005, 07:52

I still consider hockey, soccer, football, and most olympic sports to be sports. I just think that they're drifting from the focus of true sport.

They all need equipment. Theres little difference between them and auto racing. As much as some here seem to belive the car cant make it around the track by itself anymore than a football can throw itself.

**GoreBag** · 09-16-2005, 07:59

They sure do, but my argument stands.

**nokhor** · 09-16-2005, 11:53

where i play pickup soccer, no one really keeps track of the score. except newbies. we play primarily for exercise, cameraderie and love of the game. as we often switch players around between the teams in the middle of the game if they are glaringly unbalanced. so i'm not sure a clear cut winner is necessary at least on the recreational level of a game.

**English assassin** · 09-16-2005, 17:27

I don't see why having a judge rules something out of being a sport. team games have referres/umpires whose judgement on the rules may change the result of the match, yet any definition that rules football or cricket out of being a sport is obviously too narrow. Once you allow a referee how can you exclude a judge?

I reckon its a sport if its competitive, physical (no chess or card games), raises your heart rate (sorry, no darts or snooker) and isn't for a useful purpose (no digging the garden). Motor racing counts because anyone who thinks its not hard work slinging a car or bike round a track is wrong. Mick Doohan used to have a resting heart rate way down in the low 50s IIRC.

Come to think of it, scratch competitive, because mountaineering is certainly a sport.

**edyzmedieval** · 09-16-2005, 21:43

Basketball rulzz, as long as there aren't any fouls and some rules are out....

**Steppe Merc** · 09-16-2005, 21:45

A sport is something that I don't want to participate in.

**GoreBag** · 09-17-2005, 21:16

Originally Posted by English assassin

I don't see why having a judge rules something out of being a sport. team games have referres/umpires whose judgement on the rules may change the result of the match, yet any definition that rules football or cricket out of being a sport is obviously too narrow. Once you allow a referee how can you exclude a judge?

Because it takes the goal of winning out of the athlete's hands. A referee or umpire is, in most cases, a necessity to keep everyone within the rules, judge whether or not the puck crossed the goal line, and keep track of other things considered objective. A judge, like from gymnastic competitions or figure skating, is not the same kind of figure.