Sports have become too violent

Sports have become too violent

Sports violence can be defined as behavior, which causes harm, occurs outside of the rules of the sport, and is unrelated to the competitive objectives of the sport. Identifies two forms of aggression in sports. Instrumental aggression is non-emotional and task-oriented. Reactive aggression has an underlying emotional component, with harm as its goal. Violence is an outcome of reactive aggression.

Violence is most prevalent in team contact sports, such as ice hockey, football, and rugby. While most occurrences of violence emanate from players, others, including coaches, parents, fans, and the media, also contribute to what has been described as an epidemic of violence in sports today.

Spectators do take cues from players, coaches, cheerleaders, and one another. They often derive a sense of social identity and self-esteem from a team. Emulation of favorite players is an element of this identification. Group solidarity with players and coaches leads to a view of opposing teams as enemies and fosters hostility towards the outgroup and, by extension, its supporters, geographical locale, ethnic group, and perceived social class.

Mass media and social networks also contribute to the acceptability of sports. On the one hand it affords ample exposure to sports-related violence via television, magazines, newspapers, radio and internet thus providing numerous examples to children who may imitate such behavior. It glamorizes players, often the most controversial and aggressive ones. Its commentary is laced with descriptions suggestive of combat, linking excitement to violent action. On the other hand, the exposure given to sports violence by the media has stimulated increased efforts to control and prevent such behavior.

César Benavides Martínez