A Question of Ethics
What with the spate of doping scandals, ethics in sports has become such a hot-button topic that it’s regularly debated in Congress and even addressed by the president of the United States. What ethical issues do you need to be aware of? What happens when skill, talent, and glory take a back seat to greed, vanity, and ambition?
- Gambling – Betting on games by athletes and coaches is universally forbidden. Most college betting scandals involve game fixing, usually by bribing players to shave points.
- Do not be enticed by easy money. You could lose your status on the team. Worse, you can get jail time and steep fines, be expelled from school and become permanently ineligible to play professionally.
- Performance enhancing drugs – The use – actually the abuse – of PEDs to boost strength, muscle mass, speed, and endurance gets a lot of media attention, and for good reason. It seems as if every week well-respected athletes become discredited for their unethical efforts to gain a competitive edge. It’s not just a matter of not getting caught. These drugs have been shown to wreak havoc on your physical and emotional health, sometimes permanently. Do your research. Expect to be tested.
- Be true to your team – Civility, integrity, and loyalty are the hallmarks of teamwork. Show up on time for practice and training sessions, games, and travel. Don’t share negative information or rumors about teammates. And if you do online social networking, make sure your pages don’t show unflattering images or messages about you or anyone else.