Key definitions in sport

Understanding the core terms in sport helps clarify how participation and behaviour are viewed.

Main terms and their meanings

• Amateur - Someone who takes part in a sport on an unpaid basis.
• Professional - A person who performs a sport as their main paid occupation, earning a living from it.
• Open sport - A type of sport where both amateurs and professionals can compete together, such as tennis and golf.
• Sportsmanship - The practice of upholding the spirit of the game by being honest, following the rules, and showing respect to opponents.
• Gamesmanship - The approach of seeking any advantage within the rules, which can sometimes feel unfair to opponents and borders on cheating without actually breaking rules.

Historical development of professional sport

The shift from amateur to professional sport reflects changes in society, including class structures and commercial influences. This development started in the 1800s and has led to most top-level sports being professional today.

Origins and early attitudes

Many modern sports originated in British schools during the 1800s. At that time, the upper classes saw amateur sport – participation without payment – as the purest form, viewing it as "gentlemanly". In contrast, professional athletes, who competed for money, often came from lower social classes. This created a divide, with upper-class amateurs looking down on paid competition.

Rise of commercialisation

Commercialisation brought sponsorship and media deals into sport, turning it into a business. As a result, almost all elite-level sport is now organised professionally, though most everyday participants remain amateurs for enjoyment and social reasons.

Timeline of how professionalism spread across sports

1. The Amateur Athletic Association was established in 1880 to prohibit professional athletes.
2. Football professionalism was formalised in England in 1885 and in Scotland in 1893.
3. In 1895, rugby split into league (professional) and union (amateur), with union staying amateur until 1995.
4. In 1997, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) awarded prize money to successful athletes at competitions for the first time.

This progression highlights how sports gradually accepted payment, moving away from strict amateur ideals.

Characteristics of amateurs and professionals

Amateurs and professionals approach sport differently, influenced by whether it's a hobby or a career. These differences affect training, goals, and flexibility.

Funding mechanisms for amateurs

Even though amateurs do not get paid directly for competing, they can access various funding sources to support their participation. These mechanisms help cover costs without crossing into professionalism.

Common ways amateurs receive funding

• Sponsorships - Companies pay for expenses in exchange for the athlete endorsing their products or services.
• Trust funds - Prize money is placed into a fund that can be used for training expenses or saved for retirement.
• Scholarships - Universities offer places and financial support to talented athletes.
• Gifts - Items from businesses or friends that can be used or sold to generate funds.
• Token jobs - Employment by companies where little actual work is required, providing income while allowing time for sport.

Evolution of amateurism in the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games started as an amateur-only event but have evolved to include professionals. This change reflects broader shifts in sport and society.

Early rules and gradual changes

Originally, only amateurs could compete in the Olympics to maintain the ideal of pure participation. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, some countries effectively sponsored their athletes through government funding, and secret payments occurred. This blurred the lines between amateur and professional.

Key milestones in Olympic professionalisation

1. In 1971, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed compensation for time missed from work and some funding in certain sports.
2. By 1986, professionals were permitted in each Olympic sport.
3. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, there were 42 different events, with the majority featuring professional competitors.

Examples of sportsmanship and gamesmanship

Sportsmanship and gamesmanship represent opposite approaches to ethics in sport. Sportsmanship promotes fairness, while gamesmanship pushes boundaries.

Instances of sportsmanship

• A player choosing not to celebrate excessively in front of the defeated opponent after winning an important series.
• Runners from different countries helping each other up after falling in a race and finishing together.

A good example was in a 2005 rugby test series, when Colin Charvis was knocked unconscious, opponent Tana Umaga from New Zealand placed him in the recovery position, earning the Pierre de Coubertin medal for fair play.

Understanding gamesmanship

Gamesmanship involves tactics like time-wasting or psychological tricks that stay within rules but can disadvantage opponents unfairly. It contrasts with sportsmanship by prioritising winning over ethics, though it avoids outright cheating.