SPORT

ETHICS
"To educate a person in the
mind but not the morals is to
educate a menace to society."
–
Teddy Roosevelt
 DEFINITIONS
 Ethics is the study of morals or  Moral values are
character; a study of the the relative worth
principles of human duty or the that is placed on
study of all moral qualities that some virtuous
distinguish an individual relative behavior.
to others.  Principles are
 Moral pertains to an individual’s universal rules of
motives, intentions, and actions conduct that
as right or wrong, virtuous or identify what kinds
vicious, or good or bad. of actions,
 Values are anything having intentions, and
relative worth. motives are valued.
 MORAL REASONING PROCESS
 Moral Reasoning is the systematic process of
evaluating personal values and developing a
consistent and impartial set of moral principles
by which to live.
 Moral Knowing is the cognitive phase of
learning about moral issues and how to
resolve them.
 Moral Feeling is the basis of what we
believe about ourselves, such as self-esteem,
and society, such as empathy for others
 Moral Acting is how we act based on what
we know and value.
 MORAL REASONING
“Moral reasoning does not
promise behavioral change, but it
does promise individual soul
searching and reflection on
personal beliefs, values, and
principles. Without this process,
cognitive moral growth will not
increase, behavior change will
never occur, and the potential for
consistent moral action become
little more than a hit or miss
proposition.”
Stoll and Beller (1998), p. 24
 KOHLBERG’S STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
 Stage Six states that universal ethical principles
and the individual conscience serve as the basis for
all actions.
 Stage Five expects people to fulfill the social
contract and show genuine interest in the welfare of
others.
 Stage Four assumes that people act in conformity
to the social system and social order.
 Stage Three suggests that people react to the
expectations of parents, peers, and authority figures
to gain their approval.
 Stage Two emphasizes following rules for self-
interest.
 Stage One focuses on obedient actions performed
to avoid punishment.
 SOCIETAL ATTITUDES TOWARD
ETHICAL CONDUCT
 Relativism  Consequential
this belief (utilitarian) theory states
advocates that that the ultimate
what is right or standard of what is
wrong is determined morally right is
based on the dependent on the
situation (situation greatest amount of good
ethics) for the greatest number
 Absolutism of people.
there is an absolute  Non-consequential
moral code that (Kantian) theory holds
should be applied that there is an inherent
without partiality in rightness apart from all
every situation consequences.
WHAT ARE RATIONALIZATIONS FOR
UNETHICAL BEHAVIORS IN SPORT?
 There is no rule against it.
 Everyone else does it.
 This action is not unethical because no
one will ever know about it.
 Circumstances require acting in this way.
 MORAL JUSTIFICATION
 The unethical action was really ethical;
that is, muddy the waters and make the
wrong look right.
 The unethical action was a non-issue in the
sense that the action caused no harm to
another individual or was unseen by an
official; that is, no foul, no harm.
 A rule was violated but the amount of good
accomplished overshadowed the small
amount of harm that occurred; that is, the
end justifies the means. Stoll & Beller, 2006, p 79
ETHICS AND SPORTSMANSHIP
 “Ethics is a matter of being good
(character) and doing right (action).”
 “Sportsmanship is a matter of being
good (character) and doing right (action)
in sports.”
 “The majority of acts that we consider
bad in sports and call ‘unsportsmanlike’
are bad precisely because they are
unfair, dishonest, disrespectful, or
against the rules.”

Gough, 1997, Character is everything: Promoting ethical excellence in sports, pp. 21-22
WHAT DOES SPORTSMANSHIP LOOK
LIKE?
 Playing fair
 Following the letter and spirit of
the rules
 Respecting the judgments of
officials
 Treating opponents with respect
 Shaking hands at the end of the
game
 Never running up the score
 Never cheating
 Never taunting
 GAMESMANSHIP

 Video
 TEACHING HOW TO REASON
MORALLY
 The systematic process of
evaluating personal values and
developing a consistent and
impartial set of moral principles
by which to live
 Moral reasoning occurs when
you decide that you will always
strive to do what is right.
 It takes moral courage to act
upon what a person values.
 PROBLEMS WITH TO MORAL
REASONING
 The longer athletes participate in sport, the
lower their moral reasoning.
 Males have lower levels of moral reasoning
than do females.
 Team sport athletes show lower levels of
moral reasoning than do individual sport
athletes.
 The moral reasoning of interscholastic
athletes is less consistent, impartial, and
reflective than is that of non-athletes.
 THE MORAL ETHOS OF SPORT
 Is an intentional rule violation congruent with
the moral ethos of sport?
 Is a tactical rule violation, or the breaking of the
rules on purpose to gain a benefit even though
there is an associated penalty, ethical? Is this
an ethical way to attempt to secure a victory?
 Is cheating, which is an intentional deception or
circumvention of the rules that were established
to maintain fairness, ethical? Is the intent of
sport to get away with things to gain an
advantage?
 Are rule violations ethical if they are not caught
and penalized? If rule violations are attempted
and penalized, then are these rule violations
deemed to be acceptable?
 ARE THERE ETHICAL ISSUES IN
YOUTH SPORTS ABOUT THESE?
 Cutting a child trying out for a sports team
 Playing the best players (some do not play)
 Keeping the best players in the “key”
positions
 Competing for championships and trophies
 Requiring a child to play a sport
 Specializing in one sport
 Offering teams for one gender only
 ARE THESE ETHICAL ISSUES IN
INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORTS?
 Requiring athletes to pass all subjects
 Specializing in one sport
 Treating male athletes preferentially
 Playing while injured
 Using drugs to enhance performance
 Teaching athletes (by coaches) how to break
sport rules to gain an advantage
 Giving athletes money or other benefits
 Taunting and gamesmanship
 ARE THESE ETHICAL ISSUES IN
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS?
 Requiring athletes to maintain academic
eligibility and progress toward a degree
 Giving money or tangible gifts to prospective
college athletes during their recruitment or
while playing
 Treating male athletes preferentially
 Teaching athletes (by coaches) how to break
sport rules to gain an advantage
 Making money from the performances of
athletes while they receive only grants-in-aid
 ARE THESE ETHICAL ISSUES IN
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS?
 Using drugs to enhance performance
 Requiring college students to pay fees to
support athletics
 Allowing students and other fans to shout
obscenities at or harass visiting athletes
 Using psychological ploy, such as taunting
and gamesmanship to gain an advantage
 Allowing a television network to dictate the
date and time of a college competition
 Agree Slightly Agree
1 2
1. Teamwork is important for winning.
Teamwork is important for winning.
2. I would taunt my opponent.
3. A team must have a good coach to win. 19. Basketball is a non-contact sport.
4. I would spit on my opponent.
5. Luck is a part of winning.
6. It is important to shake hands with
my opponent after a game.
7. I have never been in a game where
any rules were violated.
8. Referees’ decisions will affect a
game’s result.
9. Intramurals are a waste of time.
10. I would deliberately injure my
opponent to help me win.
11. A team must have a “star player” to
be a winning team.
12. Respecting my opponent gives me a
better chance of winning.
13. The team that prepares the best
should win the game.
14. “Winning isn’t everything, it is the
only thing.”
15. I have never seen or heard someone
taunt or trash-talk an opponent.
16. Respect is an important attribute for a 33. Being a good sport (showing
winning team.
17. Football is a more violent sport than
ice hockey.
Slightly Disagree Disagree
3 4
18. I must respect my opponent to play my
18. I must respect my opponent to play my
best.
20. I would trash-talk my opponent.
21. Soccer is a non-contact sport.
22. I compliment an opponent for a good play.
23. It is “OK” to run up the score against an
inferior opponent.
24. Basketball players are better “athletes”
than baseball players.
25. I would "bend the rules" to win.
26. It is not whether you win or lose, but how
you play the game.
27. It is not up to players to enforce rules (it’s
the referee’s job).
28. Integrity is an important attribute for a
winning team.
29. Intercollegiate athletics are bad for a
university.
30. I would retaliate if I was given a “cheap
shot” by my opponent.
31. Skill in a sport is more important than hard
work.
32. I play fair.
sportsmanship) is important to winning.
34. “Every student an athlete, every student
challenged.”