Sports Without Borders: The Blurred Line Between Entertainment and Competition
In recent years, sports have undergone significant transformations, shedding their traditional forms to accommodate new trends and interests. From the return of obscure events like motorboating and tug-of-war in the Olympic Games to the emergence of high-profile celebrity boxing matches and "doping-legal Olympics," it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between sport and entertainment.
The most recent example of this phenomenon is the Netflix-produced boxing match between influencer Jake Paul and boxing legend Mike Tyson, which attracted a whopping 108 million viewers worldwide. Furthermore, plans are underway for the Enhanced Games, a proposed alternative to the Olympics that aims to blur the lines between sports and entertainment by allowing performance-enhancing drugs.
At first glance, these events may seem like an indulgence in the realm of sport, but they raise important questions about the values underpinning competitive sports. Do events like the Paul-Tyson match and the Enhanced Games prioritize external validation over internal values such as fairness, physical excellence, and honesty?
According to philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre, sport's core values can be divided into two categories: internal and external. Internal values refer to the excellences inherent to a particular type of sport, while external values are linked to validation from outside sources, including fame, prize money, sponsorships, and so on. However, events like the Paul-Tyson match and the Enhanced Games seem to prioritize external validation at the expense of internal ones.
Moreover, these events pose significant safety risks to participants. While proponents argue that allowing doping under medical supervision can foster honesty and transparency, critics point out that such a system is fraught with perilous consequences. The Enhanced Games' proposal to permit performance-enhancing drugs raises concerns about health risks, harmful combinations of substances, and negative spillover effects on young people and society as a whole.
Experts argue that regulation rather than outright bans are necessary to mitigate these risks while still maintaining the integrity of sports. Clear labelling of events like the Paul-Tyson match as "not sport" can also serve to distance them from the traditional sporting world.
Ultimately, it is essential for us to navigate this uncharted territory and redefine what it means to participate in sports without compromising their core values. By reducing incentives for doping and placing greater emphasis on internal values such as skill and creativity, we can influence sports' evolution in a positive direction.
As we move forward, it is crucial that policymakers, athletes, and organizations work together to establish a new paradigm for sports, one that balances entertainment with safety and integrity. In doing so, we can ensure that the spirit of sport remains pure and uncompromised.