Role Model or Winner?
Having read the coverage of Mo Farah, seen Brailsford's comments about Lance Armstrong's appearance on a cancer charity fundraising ride the day before the Tour de France and Stuart Lancaster's talk to England's assembled World Cup training squad about their responsibility as role models, it has got me thinking!
Take the role model issue first. Obviously many sports stars are great role models, and some are not quite so good! But are we really saying that amongst the criteria for selection is 'being a good role model'? Would we all be happy with our national teams, across all sports, being full of really well behaved, polite role models who just did not manage to win?
I was hoping that we are mature enough to judge sports stars for what they are, people who happen to be amazingly good at their chosen sport. And that we are capable of understanding that they are chosen for those reasons, and occasionally they will misbehave, just like all young people! Shock horror!
I am not condoning breaking the law here, but I am pleading that we are still allowed characters in our sport, as their brilliance is what makes sport so captivating, and very often that brilliance comes from their powerful character, and that same character means that sometimes they might, just might, rail against conformity!
As for drugs in sport, it does lead on from the role model issue, just with far more bite. I have no idea how the Mo Farah situation will be resolved, if there is even an issue to resolve. The very coverage of two missed drugs tests and a coach who is implicated in the use of drugs is not something that people will quickly forget.
As we all know Armstrong is banned from cycling, and as far as I can see, any competitive sport for the rest of his life? That seems strange to me. Many cyclists have been caught doping, but are back riding? Many of his team mates have been forgiven and can ride again and be greeted at the Tour de France? How many athletes have been caught, banned and then come back to compete? Rather a lot!
So why is Armstrong treated differently? I am told by many that it is his behaviour, his bullying and his character assassinations of anyone who accused him. The character assassinations were disgraceful, and I am not supporter of bullying, but I am just interested to know who bullied all the cyclists into taking drugs before him, and who has continued bullying cyclists after his retirement? And if his ban, which is so much heavier than all the others, is down to his behaviour, why does sport believe it has the right to start judging character and behaviour? Once it starts down that road, as it has, what a can of worms it opens up? It does not take me to point out all the 'characters' who have survived and prospered in sport.......
For me sport is about competing, and the real beauty of it is in witnessing that effort and that striving. I do not watch sport to witness good behaviour, I watch it to see people at their limits, achieving what the rest of us cannot. I accept that they are human and they will make mistakes, but I prefer to judge them on their sporting achievements. And if they cheat and take drugs, then let’s have one rule for all? Let’s not allow success, money, jealousy and revenge cloud that judgement.........
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9 年Great post Will!
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9 年Another good post Will. I actually always thought when he was interviewed in his ‘glory days’ that Armstrong seemed a bit of a dull chap – your ultimate hard working, zero personality US ‘hero’. Still waters run deep, eh?! To put aside the punishment side of people’s actions for a moment, I agree generally that sportsmen and women should be judged on what they do on the pitch and leave it at that, provided they stay within the boundaries of the law in their private lives, what other business is it of ours how they spend their time off? Great in theory, however, that just doesn’t reflect the world we live in now. To take the England rugby team, we saw at the previous RWC that the players were monitored on their nights out, the media greedily picking up on any rumours and gossip of bad behaviour. I recall Johnson was lampooned when he suggested that it was normal for rugby players to go out and have some drinks – critics saying he was too close to the players and therefore too lenient. I therefore agree with Lancaster’s approach – like it or not, they are role models and it isn’t just on the pitch that they’re judged – The players do need to be guarded in their actions, aware of the scrutiny they will be under. Never before has there been the access to smart phones, instagram, twitter, etc to disseminate the information of 'bad' behaviour like there is now. Whilst I take your point that you’d prefer to have winners in the team than well behaved, polite role models, in any job you’re always going to have extrovert characters and quieter ones in your team or workplace, but they still need to fit into the overall regime. If Lancaster has decided on the grafters over the galacticos then so be it. I hope it works out for him!
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9 年I agree with the 99% of what you state, however I think Lancaster see's how powerful the behaviour of the player can affect the new generation coming through, hence the need to curb those excessive incidents. From diving off Ferries to completing a swallow dive in key matches, its amazing how it influences the younger players coming through, who are keen to copy their heroes. Armstrong's case is a unique one, his constant denial and dragging the sport through the mud, whilst presenting such a prefect public image, means his punishment should be reflected in the damage he's caused. Sport needs characters, and we don't want to dilute that in rugby...otherwise we'll end up like Snooker, however as the game becomes even more global, players and coaches need to reflect on how their conduct will be seen by more impressionable minds.
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9 年Good post Will. I think people (and I'm often guilty of this) forget that many of the elite sports stars who have most regular exposure are only young people. I remember my younger years and cringe at times with some of the things I got up to! What I think we need to get better at is the educational and mentoring support programmes that are available to these athletes, although this does seem to be more prevalent now