Simon Fair Play Analysis

Throughout the entirety of the of Simon’s Fair Play, Ethics of Sport, we touch on a lot of controversial issues that are present in the sport world and by extension issues that are present in our society. "This book is concerned primarily with ethically evaluating principles that people associate with sport and implying that analysis to examine specific issues. Its major focus is the nature of principles and values that should apply to sport". (Simon, p.19) The major points of importance that the text focuses on are: Moral issues of tactical fouling, ethical cheating, reason for deviance in competitive sports, and performance enhancing drugs. Sadly these are all very real issues that we have to deal with in the realm of sport, and all of the
issues covered should be categorized as unethical or unsportsmanlike conduct. The first chapter seemed to jump head first into the discussion of the moral issue of tactical fouling.
First, the chapter stared by stating that sport played an important role in the lives of American’s. Simon stated that in the athlete’s mind, there is a very critical emphasis on winning the game. Bringing attention to the fact that a lot of decency in sport has gone out the window. Fairness and honesty are lost when it comes to the thought of being competitive. These moral issues in sport concern not only the athletes and fans mindset, but also specific actions. Specifically actions within the context of the game that are deemed legal and in the set of rule, but are seen as tactical cheating. Although the strategies (like diving in the context of soccer), are seen to be fair because they are technically obeying the rules, it shows a huge part of our country's values and morals of the situation. And since what they are doing is technically in line with the rules, no one is able to say that it is actually cheating. The first chapter explains that there is a need to examine these morals. The role of philosophy is essential to clarify the principles on which they are founded on, and subject them to critical examination. We see that issues are due to the fact that competition is infested with a bad mindset that is selfish and that it is not just the essence of competition that we see here. We see Simon discuss the correlation of internal morality and competition in the
middle of chapter 2. We know that sport is essentially external and is an extension of the society that it is engulfed in.
The discussion transitioned to a statement that descripted how majority of athletes feel about competition. "Winning is not the most important thing; it's the only thing”. (Simon, p.49)
With this kind of mindset, you can see that to majority of (competitive) athletes are not playing for fun or enjoyment, rather, they are just in it to defeat their opponents.
“ At first glance competition seems to be the very nature of sport. We speak of sporting events as competitions or contests, evaluate athletes as good or bad competitors or competitors, and refer to other teams as opponents. But perhaps the connection between sports and competition is far looser than these habits suggest. Thus, some can play golf or run a marathon just for the enjoyment of the activity. All sports can be played non competitively.” (Simon, p.50) This disproved the fact that sports are just naturally competitive. It is important to see that there is a conflict between what was originally sport and what is not competition in sport. This competitive aspect is where we are seeing the motivation to tactically cheat or take advantage of the playing rules. The issue is that you are creating an unfair advantage for you or your team. The solution to this is to compete with a sense of respect in a mutual quest for excellence. Through the mindset of knowing that you are out competing for the same reason as the other team is how we will start to see more wholesome game play. “In terms of the mutualist account, winning normally is a major criterion of competitive success but hardly the only one. In a hard fought contest between worthy opponents, both can meet the challenge of competition through
exhibiting experience even though only one can win.” (Simon, p.64) It all comes down to what you will do to achieve excellence and what your perception of excellence is. The questions pertaining to performance-enhancing drugs came up. Is the use of performance-enhancing drugs actually cheating or are they just illegitimate restrictions on athletes freedom to pursue excellence in their own way? Isn't the advancement of equipment the same thing? The skills of an athlete are replaced with the advancement of technology so doesn't that make it the same? No, gear and technology advancement is not the same as performance enhancing drug use. Going back to what your perception of excellence is and what your morals are. If your mind has been infested by the views of selfish competition, this will seem like it is just a pointless restriction that makes things harder for athletes to reach the top. A great deal of athletes are just as in love with the challenge and desire to compete just as much as they are in love with the external rewards received, such as fame and money. They hold equal value in their morals. Which means that you will do just about anything to gain in those areas. With both of these loves for competition and rewards combined, along with our own human sinful nature it can promote the reason for someone to look to performance enhancing drugs to increase the rewards in both areas. However, there are a lot of negatives that come along with the use of these drugs. The following are 5 consequences that come with drug use: 1st, The use of steroids to enhance performance is harmful to athletes, who need to be protected; 2nd, the use of steroids to enhance podomancy by some widows coerces others IMO using steroids; 3rd, the use of steroids to enhance performance is unfair or a form of cheating; 4th, the use of steroids enhance performance violates justifiable norms or ideals that ought to govern athletic competition; and 5th, the use of steroids demeans and cheapens achievement in sport. Athletes should remain not able to use performance enhancing drugs because the original goal was to protect athletes from themselves. This type of drug use completely goes against the pure way of enjoying sports. Sport is a way for people to stay healthy and enjoy life. If you get so caught up in being competitive or in making money to the point that it is harmful to you, there is an issue at hand. As christians we are called to be honest with one another and honor our God. In our selfishness to do what we think is best, we are stripping God of the joy that we should be bringing him by honoring him. However, even though we assume that the athletes are making a decision to take performance enhancing drugs, there is usually pure pressure for most athletes that are focusing on their performance. They are essentially forced into using the performance enhancing substances because they look around and see everyone else doing it. And if they truly can't to be competitive, they have to equal the playing ground with the other athletes.
As athletes in sports, we have a lot of people watching us and looking up to us in our society. If we are cheating to gain a competitive advantage on our “competition” then how are we being good ambassadors of Christ? When it comes to why we play the game, although it may be tempting to take an unfair advantage from tactical fouling, ethical cheating, performance enhancing drugs, or general deviance in sport. It is important for us as christians to be selfless just like we should be in our christian faith. We are truly not our own and our gifts/talents are not due to us, therefore we should worship God be honoring him with good sportsmanship and leadership to shine Christ’s light in the darkness of the fallen society and sport scene. Sports are a gift from God to us. It is a way that he shows us that he loves us, so we should be thinking less about our own performance, rather, we should focus on how we should bring a smile to His face by enjoying his creation of sport and do it not for our own glory, but for His Glory. “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” Philippians 2:3.