Sport: Towards a definition

Not surprisingly my contribution The Significance Of Sports Malta Awards (February 3) stirred up a hornet’s nest and, as expected, various sources not really conversant with the educational and health values of sport have unleashed their missiles with unabated fury in my direction. But, even at the risk of being pilloried as a sport purist or ignoramus, I am willing, even at my venerable age, to stick out my neck on the national chopping block to rescue sport from its transgressors, whose obsession with medals is blinding them to the true essence of sport.

The Malta Sports Council (KMS), in its mission statement outlined in Re-Shaping Sport declares: “Health is considered to be one of the most important and essential part for a better quality of life. It has been proven scientifically that a healthy diet combined with adequate physical activity can prevent (among others) osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, various types of cancer, hypertension etc” (p.14).

Furthermore, under the heading Education (p. 15), the mission statement states that KMS considers physical education to be an important subject which develops physical literacy and helps in the psychological, social development etc.

The physical aspect of sport as a prerequisite for other benefits is so accentuated in its mission statement that, on the same page, KMS gives us article 1 of the European Sports Charter, whose aim is “to enable every individual to participate in sport and notably: a) to ensure all young people to receive physical education instruction and the opportunity to acquire basic sports skills”.

In light of these clear statements I fail to understand why I was taken to task by the KMS when I was actually defending and fully upholding their cardinal principles, that whatever definition is given to sport it must be compatible with the aims of KMS, namely that the inclusion of physical exertion is paramount.

How sad it is at this point in time for the KMS to miss the opportunity of presenting role models that conform to their stated aims. How disappointing it was for participants in high performance sports, particularly the young ones, to see their efforts superseded by activities much less demanding in sacrifice, commitment and achievement.

When technological advances have made inroads into children’s after-school physical activities; when PlayStations and the internet are seriously contributing to a sedentary life; when obesity is rampant; when the joyous sounds of mirth and laughter of children playing in our streets have disappeared, it was expected that vigorous physical sports would be better appreciated.

What should really concern those who govern sport in our island is how to reach out to the young in order to impress upon them the importance of sport and outdoor physical recreation for their complete development. In my view, an accelerated course in sport education (exposing the cultural, psychological, sociological, philosophical, spiritual and anthropological dimensions of sport) for all the stakeholders in the sporting field should be undertaken without any further delay.

It is only in recent years that, thanks to our noted pioneers, the scientific studies of sport have been introduced at the University. In central European countries, sport and recreational activities have for centuries been the subject of academic debate, scientific study and a topic for the intellectuals. Regrettably, it appears many genuine sports adepts may not have experienced the sporting phenomenon of contrasting dimensions and, consequently, dismiss sport as a triviality, simply a diversion, a non-starter, a minor activity not to be taken seriously.

Those who have not enjoyed a sporting life in all its forms and studied it profusely cannot pontificate about sport by giving us bland dictionary definitions because, although this helps us to grasp the historical concept, it does not present us with a true definition in the sense of genus with its different categories.

Before grappling with the definition of sport I would like to stress the point why physical exertion is a prerequisite for achieving the cornucopia of benefits sport can provide. For example, the recreational factor highlights the fact that when the brain is tired some kind of physical activity in the form of a vigorous game will restore one’s mental energy. The young student who plays tennis or similar pursuits after a long day’s work discharges surplus physical energy and, in the process, mental energy is restored. In this instance, we see sport as a means of recharging our physical and mental batteries.

Other benefits we ascribe to sport, like character formation, development of personality, self-actualisation, can only be attained through the physical experience.

Sports scientists specify the physical dimension in sport as outlined by the eminent sociologist Gunther Luschen, author of The Cross Cultural Analysis Of Sports And Games. He defines sport in an operational manner as an institutionalised type of competitive physical activity located in a continuum.

The specification of the activity as “physical” generally excludes sedentary activities while the competitive element (the agon) is another essential factor.

One final point. Without being apologetic, this contribution is not intended to denigrate the international achievements of the Malta Table Football Federation. In the fast lane of life with its tensions and repressions, an honest table game like table football/soccer that offers relaxation in congenial surroundings is to be encouraged but not at the expense of athletic pursuits.

The author is a former honorary secretary general of the Malta Olympic Committee.