Sport 26853 225824982 2008-07-15T16:00:44Z Epbr123 1395162 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Pink!Teen|Pink!Teen]] to last version by NawlinWiki (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{pp-semi|small=yes}} {{Redirect6|Sports|the Australian rock band|The Sports|the album by Huey Lewis & The News|Sports (album)}} {{Otheruses4|the activity|the British magazine called Sport|Sport (magazine)|the American magazine called SPORT|Sport magazine| '''Sport''' can also mean (in [[biology]]) "an organism that shows a marked change from the normal type or parent stock, typically as a result of [[mutation]]"}} [[Image:Youth-soccer-indiana.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Sport from childhood. [[Football (soccer)]] shown above is a [[team sport]], and has [[social]] importance.]] '''Sport''' is an [[activity]] that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. ''Sports'' commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as [[Game of skill|mind sports]] (a common name for some [[card game]]s and [[board game]]s with little to no element of chance) and [[Auto racing|motor sports]] where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors. ==Etymology== "Sport" comes from the [[French language|old French]] ''desport'' meaning "[[leisure]]"{{Fact|date=May 2008}}. ==History== {{main|History of sport}} [[Image:Greek statue discus thrower 2 century aC.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Ancient Rome|Roman]] bronze reduction of [[Myron]]'s [[Discobolos]], 2nd century AD.]] There are artifacts and structures that suggest that the [[China|Chinese]] engaged in sporting activities as early as 4000 BC.<ref> {{cite web|url= http://www.itv.com/Sport/default.html| title= Sports [[History]] in China}}</ref> Gymnastics appears to have been a popular sport in China's ancient past. Monuments to the Pharaohs indicate that a number of sports, including swimming and fishing, were well-developed and regulated several thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt.<ref> {{cite web|url= http://www.ioa.leeds.ac.uk/1980s/84085.htm| title= Mr Ahmed D. Touny (EGY), IOC Member}}</ref> Other Egyptian sports included javelin throwing, high jump, and wrestling. Ancient Persian sports such as the traditional [[Iran]]ian martial art of [[Zourkhaneh]] had a close connection to the warfare skills.<ref> {{cite web|url= http://www.itv.com/Sport/default.html| title= Persian warriors}}</ref> Among other sports that originate in [[Iran|Persia]] are [[polo]] and [[jousting]]. A wide range of sports were already established by the time of [[Ancient Greece]] and the military culture and the development of sports in Greece influenced one another considerably. Sports became such a prominent part of their culture that the Greeks created the Olympic Games, which in ancient times were held every four years in a small village in the [[Peloponnese|Peloponnesus]] called [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]].<ref> {{cite web|url= http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/ancient/index_uk.asp| title= Ancient Olympic Games}}</ref> Industrialization has brought increased leisure time to the citizens of developed and developing countries, leading to more time for citizens to attend and follow spectator sports, greater participation in athletic activities, and increased accessibility. These trends continued with the advent of mass media and [[global]] communication. Professionalism became prevalent, further adding to the increase in sport's popularity, as sports fans began following the exploits of professional athletes through radio, television, and the internet--all while enjoying the exercise and competition associated with amateur participation in sports. In the new millennium, new sports have been going further from the physical aspect to the mental or psychological aspect of competing. Cyber sports organizations are becoming more and more [[popular]]. Activities where the outcome is determined by judgement over execution are considered performances, or competition. ==Sportsmanship== {{main|Sportsmanship}} {{seealso|Gamesmanship|Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing}} '''Sportsmanship''' is an attitude that strives for fair play, courtesy toward team mates and opponents, ethical behaviour and integrity, and grace in losing.<ref> {{cite web|url= http://www.merriam.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=sportsmanship| title= Merriam-Webster}}</ref> Sportsmanship expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. The well-known sentiment by sports journalist [[Grantland Rice]], that it's “not that you won or lost but how you played the game," and the Modern Olympic creed expressed by its founder [[Pierre de Coubertin]]: "The most important thing . . . is not winning but taking part" are typical expressions of this sentiment. But often the pressures of competition or an obsession with individual achievement&mdash;as well as the intrusion of technology&mdash;can all work against enjoyment and fair play by participants. People responsible for leisure activities often seek recognition and respectability as sports by joining sports federations such as 5 [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], or by forming their own regulatory body. In this way, new sports evolve from their beginnings as leisure activity to more formal sports: relatively recent newcomers are BMX cycling, snowboarding, and wrestling. Some of these activities have been popular but uncodified pursuits in various forms for different lengths of time. Indeed, the formal regulation of sport is a relatively modern and increasing development. Sportsmanship, within any given game, is how each competitor acts before, during, and after the competition. Not only is it important to have good sportsmanship if one wins, but also if one loses. For example, in [[football (soccer)|football]] it is considered sportsmanlike to kick the ball out of play to allow treatment for an injured player on the other side. Reciprocally, the other team is expected to return the ball from the throw-in. [[Violence in sports]] involves crossing the line between fair competition and intentional aggressive violence. Athletes, coaches, fans, and parents sometimes unleash violent behaviour on people or property, in misguided shows of loyalty, dominance, anger, or celebration. [[Rioting]] or [[hooliganism]] are common and ongoing problems at national and international sporting contests, particularly [[football]] matches ==Professionalism== [[Image:OHL-Hockey-Plymouth-Whalers-vs-Saginaw-Spirit.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Modern sports have complex [[rule]]s and are highly organized.]] {{main|Professional sports}} The entertainment aspect of sports, together with the spread of [[mass media]] and increased leisure time, has led to professionalism in sports. This has resulted in some conflict, where the [[wage|paycheck]] can be seen as more important than recreational aspects, or where the sports are changed simply to make them more profitable and popular, thereby losing certain valued traditions. The entertainment aspect also means that sportsmen and women are often elevated to celebrity status. ==Politics== At times, sports and politics can have a large amount of influence on each other. When [[apartheid]] was the official policy in [[South Africa]], many sports people, particularly in [[rugby union]], adopted the conscientious approach that they should not appear in competitive sports there. Some feel this was an effective contribution to the eventual demolition of the policy of apartheid, others feel that it may have prolonged and reinforced its worst effects.<ref> {{cite web|url= http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1478-0542.2005.00165.x| title= Sport and apartheid}}</ref> The [[1936 Summer Olympics]] held in [[Berlin]] was an [[illustration]], perhaps best recognised in retrospect, where an ideology was developing which used the event to strengthen its spread through propaganda. [[Image:Bruno Senna 2006 Australian Grand Prix.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In modern sport [[motorization]] has appeared.]] In the history of [[Ireland]], Gaelic sports were connected with [[cultural]] [[nationalism]]. Until the mid 20th century a person could have been banned from playing [[Gaelic football]], [[hurling]], or other sports administered by the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA) if she/he played or supported [[Football (soccer)]], or other games seen to be of [[Great Britain|British]] origin. Until recently the GAA continued to ban the playing of soccer and [[rugby union]] at Gaelic venues. This ban is still enforced, but has been modified to allow football and rugby be played in [[Croke Park]] while [[Lansdowne Road]] (both in [[Dublin]]) is being redeveloped. Until recently, under Rule 21, the GAA also banned members of the British security forces and members of the [[Royal Ulster Constabulary|RUC]] from playing Gaelic games, but the advent of the [[Good Friday Agreement]] in 1998 led to the eventual removal of the ban. [[Nationalism]] is often evident in the pursuit of sports, or in its reporting: people compete in national teams, or commentators and audiences can adopt a partisan view. On occasion, such tensions can lead to violent confrontation among players or spectators within and beyond the sporting venue (see [[Football War]]). These trends are seen by many as contrary to the fundamental ethos of sports being carried on for its own sake and for the enjoyment of its participants. ==Physical art== [[Image:Gymnasta.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Gymnastics]]]] Sports have many affinities with [[art]]. [[Ice skating]] and [[Tai chi]], and [[Dancesport]] for example, are sports that come close to artistic spectacles in themselves. Similarly, there are other activities that have elements of sport and art in their execution, such as [[artistic gymnastics]], [[Bodybuilding]], [[Parkour]], [[performance art]], [[professional wrestling]], [[Yoga]], [[bossaball]], [[dressage]], [[culinary arts]], [[marching band]], [[drum corps]], etc. Perhaps the best example is [[Bull-fighting]], which in Spain is reported in the arts pages of newspapers. The fact that art is so close to sports in some situations is probably related to the nature of sports. The definition of "sports" above put forward the idea of an activity pursued not just for the usual purposes, for example, running not simply to get places, but running for its own sake, running as well as we can. This is similar to a common view of [[Aesthetics|aesthetic]] value, which is seen as something over and above the strictly functional value coming from an object's normal use. So an aesthetically pleasing car is one which doesn't just get from A to B, but which impresses us with its grace, poise, and charisma. In the same way, a sporting performance such as jumping doesn't just impress us as being an effective way to avoid obstacles or to get across streams. It impresses us because of the ability, skill, and style which is shown. Art and sports were probably more clearly linked at the time of Ancient Greece, when gymnastics and calisthenics invoked admiration and aesthetic appreciation for the physical build, prowess and 'arete' displayed by participants. The modern term 'art' as skill, is related to this ancient Greek term 'arete'. The closeness of art and sport in these times was revealed by the nature of the Olympic Games which, as we have seen, were celebrations of both sporting and artistic achievements, poetry, sculpture and architecture. ==Technology== [[Image:Putter with flag.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Golf]], which is debatably a sport, where moving has a much lesser part than dexterity.]] Technology has an important role in sports, whether applied to an athlete's health, the athlete's technique, or equipment's characteristics. '''Equipment''' As sports have grown more competitive, the need for better equipment has arose. Golf clubs, football helmets, baseball bats, soccer balls, hockey skates, and other equipment have all seen considerable changes when new technologies have been applied. '''Health''' Ranging from nutrition to the treatment of injuries, as the knowledge of the human body has deepened over time, an athlete's potential has been increased. Athletes are now able to play to an older age, recover more quickly from injuries, and train more effectively than previous generations of athletes. '''Instruction''' Advancing technology created new opportunities for research into sports. It is now possible to analyse aspects of sports that were previously out of the reach of comprehension. Being able to use motion capture to capture an athlete's movement, or advanced computer simulations to model physical scenarios has greatly increased an athlete's ability to understand what they are doing and how they can improve themselves. ==Terminology== [[Image:Showjumping white horse.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Show Jumping]], an [[Equestrianism|equestrian]] sport.]] In [[British English]], sporting activities are commonly denoted by the [[collective noun]] "sport". In [[American English]], "sports" is more used. In all English dialects, "sports" is the term used for more than one specific sport. For example, "football and [[swimming]] are my favourite sports", would sound natural to all English speakers, whereas "I enjoy sport" would sound less natural than "I enjoy sports" to North Americans. The term "sport" is sometimes extended to encompass all competitive activities, regardless of the level of physical activity. Both [[Game of skill|games of skill]] and [[motor sport]] exhibit many of the characteristics of physical sports, such as skill, sportsmanship, and at the highest levels, even professional sponsorship associated with physical sports. [[Air sports]], [[billiards]], [[contract bridge|bridge]], [[chess]], [[motorcycle racing]], and [[powerboating]] are all recognized as sports by the International Olympic Committee with their world governing bodies represented in the Association of the IOC Recognised International Sports Federations.<ref>{{cite website|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/recognized/index_uk.asp|title=Recognized non-Olympic Sports|date=2007-01-03}}</ref> ==Spectator sport== {{main|Spectator sport}} As well as being a form of recreation for the participants, much sport is played in front of an [[audience]]. Most professional sport is played in a 'theatre' of some kind; be it a [[stadium]], [[arena]], [[golf course]], [[race track]], or the open road, with provision for the (often paying) public. [[Image:14-05-2005-dairy farmers at dusk.JPG|thumb|250px|[[Rugby league]] match in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.]] Large television or radio audiences are also commonly attracted, with rival broadcasters bidding large amounts of money for the 'rights' to show certain fixtures. Association football's [[FIFA World Cup]] attracts a global [[television]] audience of hundreds of millions; the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]] [[FIFA World Cup Finals|Final]] alone attracted an estimated worldwide audience of well over 700 million. In the [[United States]], the championship game of the [[National Football League|NFL]], the [[Super Bowl]], has become one of the most watched television broadcasts of the year. '''Super Bowl Sunday''' is a de facto national holiday in America; the viewership being so great that in 2007 advertising space was reported as being sold at [[United States dollar|US$]]2.6m for a 30 second slot. ==Further reading== [[Image:Three point shoot.JPG|thumb|200px|right|[[Basketball]]]] * ''The Meaning of Sports'' by Michael Mandel (PublicAffairs, ISBN 1-58648-252-1). * [http://www.humankinetics.com/JPS/index.cfm Journal of the Philosophy of Sport] ==References== {{reflist}} *Free, Marcus; Hughson, John (2006) ''[http://www.itv.com/Sport/default.html Common culture, commodity fetishism and the cultural contradictions of sport]'' International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 83-104 DOI: 10.1177/1367877906061166 SAGE Publications ==See also== {{portal|Sports and games}} {{sisterlinks|Sports}} ;Lists * [[List of basic sports topics]] * [[List of professional sports leagues]] * [[List of sports attendance figures]] * [[List of sports]] * [[List of sportspeople]] * [[Sports timeline|Timeline of sports]] ;Related topics * [[Martial arts|Combat Sport]] * [[Disabled sports]] * [[Fandom]] * [[Female sports]] * [[History of sport]] * [[Multi-sport events]] * [[National sport]] * [[Nationalism and sports]] * [[Olympic Games]] * [[Spectator sports]] * [[Sponsorship]] * [[Sport in film]] * [[Sport governing bodies]] * [[Sports broadcasting]] * [[Sports club]] * [[Sports coaching]] * [[Sports equipment]] * [[Sports injuries]] * [[Sports league attendances]] * [[Sports marketing]] * [[Sports terms named after people]] [[Category:Sports| ]] [[Category:Games]] [[af:Sport]] [[ar:رياضة]] [[an:Esporte]] [[ast:Deporte]] [[az:İdman]] [[bm:Farikoloɲanajɛ]] [[bn:ক্রীড়া]] [[be:Спорт]] [[bar:Sport]] [[bs:Sport]] [[br:Sport]] [[bg:Спорт]] [[ca:Esport]] [[cv:Спорт]] [[cs:Sport]] [[cy:Chwaraeon]] [[da:Sport]] [[pdc:Schparret]] [[de:Sport]] [[et:Sport]] [[el:Αθλητισμός]] [[es:Deporte]] [[eo:Sporto]] [[eu:Kirol]] [[fa:ورزش]] [[fo:Ítróttur]] [[fr:Sport]] [[fy:Sport]] [[fur:Sport]] [[ga:Spórt]] [[gv:Spoyrt]] [[gd:Spòrs]] [[gl:Deporte]] [[ko:스포츠]] [[hy:Սպորտ]] [[hr:Sport]] [[io:Sporto]] [[id:Olahraga]] [[ia:Sport]] [[ie:Sport]] [[is:Íþrótt]] [[it:Sport]] [[he:ספורט]] [[jv:Olahraga]] [[ka:სპორტი]] [[csb:Szpòrt]] [[ky:Спорт]] [[ht:Espò (divètisman)]] [[ku:Werziş]] [[lad:Espor]] [[lo:ກິລາ]] [[la:Ludus athleticus]] [[lv:Sports]] [[lb:Sport]] [[lt:Sportas]] [[li:Sjport]] [[hu:Sport]] [[mk:Спорт]] [[mt:Sport]] [[mr:खेळ]] [[ms:Sukan]] [[nl:Sport]] [[nds-nl:Sport]] [[ne:खेल]] [[ja:スポーツ]] [[nap:Sport]] [[no:Sport]] [[nn:Idrett]] [[nrm:Sport]] [[oc:Espòrt]] [[uz:Sport]] [[pap:Deporte]] [[ps:ورزښت]] [[pl:Sport]] [[pt:Desporto]] [[ro:Sport]] [[rm:Sport]] [[qu:Kurku kallpanchay]] [[ru:Спорт]] [[sc:Isport]] [[sco:Sport In Scotland]] [[sq:Sporti]] [[scn:Sport]] [[simple:Sport]] [[sk:Šport]] [[sl:Šport]] [[sr:Спорт]] [[sh:Sport]] [[fi:Urheilu]] [[sv:Sport]] [[tl:Palakasan]] [[ta:விளையாட்டு]] [[kab:Addal]] [[te:క్రీడ]] [[th:กีฬา]] [[vi:Thể thao]] [[tg:Варзиш]] [[tr:Spor]] [[tk:Sport]] [[uk:Спорт]] [[vec:Spor]] [[fiu-vro:Sport]] [[war:Paugnat-ha-Kusog]] [[yi:ספארט]] [[zea:Sport]] [[bat-smg:Spuorts]] [[zh:体育]]