Ethics is Still Important in Sports

All sports loving fans, good players, sports administrators, commentators, and others need to support good ethics in sports. No one likes to be cheated, and that includes being unethical in sporting activities. Rude comments, getting mad unnecessarily, shouting against the rules, discretely breaking the rules and others, are just examples that are not acceptable and should not be supported.

Good ethical character, such as humility, is more highly appreciated than cheating and winning. Decency in making choices that are essential to the objectives and values of the team and fans is better than outrageous errors. Self-discipline or control in doing what is to be done according to objectives rather than doing what feels good is more professional and acceptable. When someone actions shows respect and value for others participation, this is better than blatant disrespect and self glorifications. Honorable character in demonstrating good values will always be highly regarded than boastful attitudes in winning at all costs.

Parents, in this fall season of sports at schools and colleges, will need to remember the importance of instilling ethics in their children, even if sometimes they are only spectators and not players. At sports events, parent will need to demonstrate the kind of dignity and respect they will want to see in their children, especially teens and younger kids. Even in watching sports events on cable or television, parents will need to uphold good ethics and values. The proper use of appropriate language, for example, will matter to younger kids who often do what their parents do. Candid talk to kids about the importance of not paying too much attention to the athletes bank accounts or celebrity pictures on magazines cover, but on the integrity and good attitude of players will be far more acceptable and effective in instilling good values.

An essential characteristic that parents need to show is patience. Mistakes can be and should be corrected in manner that is with a persistent spirit, a good sense of humor and humility. The modeling of the benefits of learning and growing from mistakes must be an essential apart of the good ethics and values in sports that kids need to learn from parents. Winning in terms of achieving objectives or goals, rather then just beating someone, should be taught to kids and young adults alike. This is often not demonstrated in many of the professional sports we see today, but is very much an important value point in good ethics in sports.

In their real life off the field, all sports players and fans will need to maintain the kind of ethics that are acceptable on the field of play. An unfortunate example of the consequences of not complying with this point is the case of Michael Vicks of the NFL - Atlanta Falcons in America, and the NBA Referee Official who was charged with "illegally betting on games." The laws of the land will always be above team rules and regulations. And this applies to the use of illegal drugs or substances in sports. Young kids need to always know and be reminded of this. What they do off the field will sometimes matter and have serious consequences in terms of their career or life ambitions, even in sports.

Sometimes young adults are misled in terms of believing that a career in sports will be better for them than staying in school or college and getting an education. Unethical individuals or organizations may approach them with enticing words, deeds and promises of success and fame than are not real. Leaving school then becomes a requirement to achieve this, but becomes a disaster for the individual involved when things go very wrong shortly thereafter. Ethical wisdom and honest assessment of the situation must be encouraged and insisted on by parents, in the interest of their kids. Money and fame must not be above ethics ad realities in assessing the life of anyone and their careers, even in sports.

So we all need to remember the essential principles in good ethics when sports activities are involved. Sport worldwide is big business. Someone can genuinely earn a very good life or income from playing professional sports. But by no means should this override fairness and good values in all sporting events and participation.

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