In today’s society professional athletes have taken advantage of their skills as a gateway to feel free to act unsportsmanlike on and off the field. They have the assurance that their association will protect them, but how far is too far?
Athletes are placed in an influential position, being displayed daily to the public eye, oftentimes setting the precedent for future athlete’s behavior.
Professional soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo brought forth the stage of controversy in her six month suspension from the United States National Women’s Soccer Team after a crushing loss to Sweden in the Olympic quarterfinals.
After their loss, Hope Solo openly voiced her opinion of the game. She called the Swedish team “a bunch of cowards” and went further on to disgrace her teammates and coach.
This outrage from Solo is not the first to occur. It has happened on numerous occasions with little to no repercussions. Skeptics believe the Soccer Federation tolerated her outbursts due to the fact that she is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“It’s only because she’s their top player, that’s why they kept her,” Newtown High School Junior Lacey Hein said.
For years Solo’s remarks have been tolerated, but it opens up discussion on whether or not all athletes face the same punishments.
In the code of conduct for national leagues it states that “athletes are violating the non-discrimination code if they engage in behavior that is so disorderly or inappropriate as to interfere with the orderly conduct of the activity or other Members' participation in, or enjoyment of, the activity or event.”
There have been numerous outbursts in the sports world. Most escapades are ignored or the player is fined.
Number one professional tennis player Serena Williams has been repeatedly fined thousands of dollars for misconduct, such as yelling at the chair umpire over an unfair point.
With numerous tirades, it sets up the stereotypes that devour social media. “I think across the world it doesn’t look good for the U.S. I believe it feeds into the stereotype that many foreigners have of the U.S.” NHS P.E. teacher Kathy Davey said.
Some of those stereotypes being that Americans are full of themselves, and arrogant. All stereotypes, regardless of how unruly, have a basis of truth.
Athletes must always be aware of their actions. It is only human to get upset over a defeat, but one must acknowledge that all these events are being recorded, and social media will eat up any unsavorable comments and dispose of them at their will.
Especially for an event such as the Olympics, in which one is representing their country, any unfriendly encounters will surely be a knock against their own country.
In such dilemmas as the Hope Solo situation, it puts the Federation at a crossroad. Should the Federation have excepted that Solo was simply high in emotion and unintentionally spurred out those comments? It could potentially open the doors for future athletes to feel at liberty to act as Solo did.
Rules and regulations beyond playing the sport itself seem to be forgotten. In reality few athletes thoroughly read through the Code of Conduct, and the Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics states that, “any person or member organization that violates or condones the violation of the Code of Ethics is subject to disciplinary measures, which may include termination of membership, employment and expulsion from the board, committee, or task force.”
In violating such codes it sets up a misrepresentation of professional athletes for people to look up to.
Few athletes are looked up to based upon their overall profile. Young people look up to athlete’s skills and abilities not the person that they are. Athletes are not devoid of the fact that they have young people watching them play, yet they act in such a way that no person should act.
“Well you have a little kid that thinks, ‘Oh, Solo’s pretty cool no matter what she does!’, now insulting an entire national team is cool,” NHS Librarian Liza Zandonella said.
Due to athletes unprecedented behavior it creates the basis for future athletes to believe it is okay to act unsportsmanlike.
The sports world is not black and white; there is much in the grey that needs to be attended to in order for all athletes to become part of a justified system.
Image Courtesy of foxsports.com