Sport

Sport involves all kinds of physical activity of competitive nature. Sport’s mission is not only to train physical abilities or skills. It also provides entertainment to participants and spectators. There are hundreds of sports played worldwide. Some of them require only two participants and some involve whole teams. The largest sport competition in the world is known as the Olympic Games. To ensure fair competition sports are governed by a set of rules and customs.

It is necessary to understand the benefits and importance of sports. People, who do regular sports, look fit, healthy and attractive. More than that, they learn to compete and to win in everyday life. It is even more beneficial if the sport is enjoyable. Among the most popular sports are football, basketball, swimming, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, and figure skating.

The word “sport” comes from Old French and means “leisure”. Sport is distinguished by a set of criteria. First of all, it should contain elements of competition. Secondly, it should do no harm to any living creature. Apart from physical types of sport, there are the ones which can be mental. They are also known as mind-sports, for example chess or bridge. Other than that, sports can be primarily motorized (power-boating), animal-supported (equestrian sport) and coordination-dependant (billiards).

The history of sport dates back into Ancient China. There are certain artifacts, which prove that sport was practiced there at 2000 BC. A number of sports were well-developed. Among them, swimming, fishing, gymnastics. Ancient Persians did martial arts, polo and jousting. Ancient Egyptian sports included high jumps and wrestling. A wide range of sports were practiced in Ancient Greece. Moreover, it was the Greeks who established the Olympic Games. Every four years they gathered to compete in a small village of Olympia.

Sport became increasingly popular with spectators due to its elements of competition and aesthetic appeal. Gradually more and more people started attending sports games to watch them being played. That’s how the spectator sports appeared, both professional and amateur. Most games are broadcast on TV, radio and Internet. Such competitions such as World Cup or Super Bowl are especially popular with spectators.

­There are certain principles of fair play in each sport. They are sportsmanship, absence of cheating, doping control and absence of violence.

1. Sportsmanship involves a courtesy towards other players of game, ethical behavior in case of victory or defeat.
2. Absence of cheating is important during the game. It means that the result should not be predetermined and both sides have equal opportunity to win.
3. Doping control is an integral part of every sport. The participants who have strong competitive nature sometimes tend to enhance their performance using certain medicines. That’s why all sportsmen undergo doping control.
4. Absence of violence means not crossing the line between fair competition and aggressive behavior. It implies to everyone: coaches, players, parents, fans, etc.