Aggression and Violence: Issues Which Need A...

Aggression and Violence: Issues Which Need Attention in Sports

Author Name : Dr. Gurupreet Singh, Dr. Ramandeep Kaur

ABSTRACT Aggressive behaviour is quite visible in sports. Not all aggressive behaviour in sport is violent and destructive. In fact many forms of aggressive behaviours are accepted and even prompted. Use of term aggression refers to a wide range of sports behaviours that causes confusion. Most aggressive behaviours in sport are neither clearly desirable not clearly undesirable. Instead, most aggressive acts are seen as distasteful by some people and justifiable by others. Aggression has long been a part of the sport domain. Instead, Russell (1993) suggested that outside of war time, sports is perhaps the only setting in which acts of interpersonal aggression are not only tolerated but enthusiastically applauded by large segments of society. In recent years, however, violence in sports, both on and off the field, has come to be perceived as a social problem. For instance, commissions have been appointed in Canada, England and Australia to investigate violence in the athletic setting (National Committee on Violence, 1989, Pipe, 1993). In the past few years a great deal of attention has been focused on the increasing violent behaviour of sport participants and spectators. There have been numerous accounts of fighting between players in football, basketball and hockey games as well as rioting by spectators at various sporting events. The media must become responsible in its reporting of sport. There is no need to rehearse examples of violence and aggression in sports. The focus should be on the skills demonstrated and strategies employed by athletes and coaches rather than on acts of aggression. There are many sensitive and human athletes and coaches who are involved in sports at all levels. Attempts should be made to present these individuals in a favourable light and give them greater media coverage. Coaches should be made aware of the potential damages of aggression in sport, not only for their team and the player at hand, but for society as whole. The tightening of rules, imposing of harsher penalties and changing of reinforcement patterns are only part of the answer to inhibiting aggression in sports. Keywords: Aggression, Attention and Violence