Module 3: Contemporary issues

Current issues in sport

1. Introduction
2. Deviance
   1. Gamesmanship
3. Drugs and banned substances
   1. Reasons why people take drugs in sport
   2. Brief history of drugs in sport
   3. Banned substances activity
4. Globalisation in sport
5. Commercialisation
6. Health initiatives
7. Education and sport in schools
   1. PESSYP
   2. Other school sports initiatives
8. Child protection issues in sport
   1. Key principles that coaches must adhere to
   2. Types of abuse that can occur
9. Religion, culture and racism in sport
10. Gender
11. Current issues activity

Gender

The gender battle has existed for several centuries, affecting all areas of life. Sport has been used as a tool in an attempt to balance the differences and inequalities. While it is by no means equal, with huge differences in prize money, sponsorship and media recognition, the sporting opportunities available to both males and females are starting to become parallel.

The media has the potential to remove the gender inequalities in sport by promoting female sports, however, the sad fact is that most forms of media including TV and newspapers, focus primarily on male athletes giving a large percentage of coverage in their favour. This lack of interest from the media in turn affects investment in female sports, as investments intend to generate profit in return, therefore if female athletes are not in the limelight, investors will not get their intended return.

One product of the gender battle is the issue surrounding stereotypes, with each activity having a pre-determined preferred suitability to one of the two genders. While this is not strictly the case, the perception that some activities are more suited to one gender often leads to a lack of participation from the less preferred. Examples include dance and rugby; two sports at the extremes of the sporting skills classification continuum.

• Ballet dancing is a fine activity which is traditionally dominated by females. The stereotype associated with males participating in ballet dancing is that they are effeminate.

• Rugby is an activity which is traditionally dominated by males. The stereotype associated with females participating in rugby is that they are butch and masculine.