When defining what it means to be Australian the most important aspect is that it is a nation that grew from peace- not war. Sport in Australia plays a major role in contributing peace. The basic rules of sport establish the essential values for a peaceful world. Australians love playing sports. A recent national survey indicated that more than eleven million Australians aged fifteen and over participate in physical activity at least once a week- this is a rate of approximately 70%. Subsequently, tolerance, team spirit, fair play and loyalty build the foundation of Australian values. Sports develop discipline, courage, self-motivation …show more content…
and endurance within individuals. Each individual’s character establishes a society and a future of optimistic views. Thus in defining what it means to be Australian, the basic rules of sport build the peaceful foundation of the Australian nation.
The Melbourne Cup will be held on Tuesday November 4th 2014, at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.
Facts about the Melbourne Cup
In the 2012 Melbourne Cup, the first seven horses to finish were all bred in Ireland.
The 2011 Melbourne Cup was the closest finish ever in Melbourne Cup history when Dunaden won in a photo finish over Red Cadeaux.
Kingston Rule won the Cup in 1990 and holds the race record in a time of three minutes and 16.3 seconds.
Champion mare Makybe Diva won a history-making three consecutive Melbourne Cups – 2003, 2004 and 2005 with Glen Boss in the saddle.
The entry fee to the famed race is $50,000 plus.
Each year the winning connections are presented with an 18ct gold trophy valued at $175,000.
The Melbourne Cup Weather forecast is an important factor on Cup Day, check the Sportsbet.com.au Form Guide leading up to the race to pick your winner .
First held in 1861, the Melbourne Cup is part of Australia’s cultural identity – it’s more than a sporting event, it’s a national tradition. More than 100,000 spectators attend the Cup every spring, to be part of the fun, fashion and social occasion, and to watch a race or two!
The Victorian Racing Club receives 400 nominations for the Melbourne Cup every year, with only 24 horses making the field. “The Red Terror’, Australia’s favourite gelding Phar Lap won the Cup in 1930. The three-time favourite had a dream Melbourne Spring Carnival run that year, winning a race a day across the four day festival.
- Sport is an international language. Its ability to cross cultures enables sport-related programmes to bridge social and ethnic divides. As a result, sport can be a powerful tool to promote peace, both symbolically on the global level and very practically within communities.
The power of sport can be used as both a tool for preventing conflict as well as an element for building sustainable peace. When applied effectively, sport programmes promote social integration and foster tolerance. These core values are the same as those necessary for lasting peace. In post-conflict environments in particular, this can work to reduce tensions and generate dialogue.
On the global level, sport can serve as a compelling symbol for peace. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes the potential of sport to support the building of a peaceful and better world, and since 1993, has endorsed the Olympic Truce in advance of the Olympics as an international messenger for peace.
?Sport has on several occasions successfully brought together the two Koreas, most recently seen at the 2003 Pan-Asian Games when the North and South Korean teams marched side-by-side in the opening ceremony.
?UEFA began its partnership with ICRC in 1997 when it made resources available for the campaign against landmines. The partnership has expanded to raise funds and awareness concerning the importance of protecting children in war, particularly against their recruitment as child soldiers and for the legal provisions to protect them.
On the global level, sport can serve as a compelling symbol for peace. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes the potential of sport to support the building of a peaceful and better world, and since 1993, has endorsed the Olympic Truce in advance as an international messenger for peace.
?Sport has on several occasions successfully brought together the two Koreas, most recently seen at the 2003 Pan-Asian Games when the North and South Korean teams marched side-by-side in the opening ceremony.
?UEFA began its partnership with ICRC in 1997 when it made resources available for the campaign against landmines. The partnership has expanded to raise funds and awareness concerning the importance of protecting children in war, particularly against their recruitment as child soldiers and for the legal provisions to protect them.
?The Pakistani-Israeli tennis pair Aisam ul-Haq Quereshi and Amir Hadad served as positive role models for peace within their countries, known globally as “a two-man peace initiative, with The Pakistani-Israeli tennis pair Aisam ul-Haq Quereshi and Amir Hadad served as positive role models for peace within their countries, known globally as “a two-man peace initiative, with two rackets.
Australians love their sport, both playing it and watching it.
Australia has often achieved impressive results at the elite level. In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Australia ranked fourth overall in the medal tally behind the United States, China and Russia. In the 2006 Football World Cup, Australia reached the final 16. Australia is also ranked the top cricketing nation in the
world.
But it’s not just at this top level that Australians enjoy their sport. A recent national survey showed that more than 11 million Australians aged 15 or over participated at least once a week in physical activity for exercise, recreation and sport—a participation rate of almost 70 per cent. The 10 most popular physical activities were walking, aerobics/fitness, swimming, cycling, tennis, golf, running, bushwalking, football (often referred to as soccer in Australia) and netball. Other popular sporting activities include Australian football, rugby, hockey, basketball, baseball, car racing, horse racing, sailing and snow skiing.
The most watched sports in Australia include Australian Rules Football, a uniquely Australian game with roots traceable to early forms of rugby and Gaelic football, rugby league, rugby union and cricket. The Australian Open, held in Melbourne, is one of tennis’s four Grand Slam events. Australia has more than 120 national sporting organisations and thousands of state and local bodies. Dr Ian Jobling is an Associate Professor in the School for Human Movement Studies, director of the Centre for Olympic Studies and acting director of the Centre for Physical Activity and Sport Education at the University of Queensland.There will be more than 10,000 athletes and 5000 officials at the Year 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. However, the combined total of these will be exceeded by the media – in excess of 15,000 accredited, plus many non-accredited media representatives. A worldwide television audience will exceed 3.5 billion people, and there will be approximately 1.3 million extra tourists during the period 1994-2004.
The Sydney Olympic Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park will seat 110,000, the biggest in Olympic history. There will be twenty-eight sports, with taekwondo and triathlon being included as Olympic sports for the first time; other disciplines included are women's water polo, slalom canoe and trampolining.
In terms of economic impact, an independent study by KPMG Peat Marwick has shown that in the period 1994-2004 Sydney 2000 could add $7.3 billion to Australia's gross domestic product, create 150,000 full-time and part-time jobs; and that almost half the national benefit of $3.5 billion will go to Sydney, with the other areas of NSW benefiting by approximately $1billion and other states and territories by approximately $2.8 billion. It is clear that there needs to be a close link with government, the private sector and the organisers of the Games to ensure appropriate cooperation and collaboration.
Reference
Warmington P (2009) Taking race out of scare quotes: Race-conscious social analysis in an ostensibly post-racial world. Race, Ethnicity and Education 12(3): 281–296.
* http://www.sportsbet.com.au/events/melbourne-cup