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What makes a sport a sport?


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To my mind sport should be based on fact and should not be subjective i.e. someone wins by scoring more than the opponents, or doing something factually better - longer, higher quicker than the rest. Anything subjective should not qualify as a sport (although subjectivity will always creep in somewhere).

 

For example -

 

Football - Sport (team scoring the most goals wins)

Running - Sport (fastest wins)

High jump - Sport

Show jumping - sport

Dressage - not a sport (subjective)

Diving - not a sport (subjective)

Figure Skating - not a sport

Speed Skating - sport

 

Where it gets difficult for me is things like Judo and karate etc. To me, there can easily be a clear winner, but there can also be a huge amount of subjectiveness involved.

 

Discuss.

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It's got be competetive and/or skillfull.

 

Games of chance are not sports.

 

Tiddlywinks, chess, poker, synchronised swimming?

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To my mind sport should be based on fact and should not be subjective i.e. someone wins by scoring more than the opponents, or doing something factually better - longer, higher quicker than the rest. Anything subjective should not qualify as a sport (although subjectivity will always creep in somewhere).

 

For example -

 

Football - Sport (team scoring the most goals wins)

Running - Sport (fastest wins)

High jump - Sport

Show jumping - sport

Dressage - not a sport (subjective)

Diving - not a sport (subjective)

Figure Skating - not a sport

Speed Skating - sport

 

Where it gets difficult for me is things like Judo and karate etc. To me, there can easily be a clear winner, but there can also be a huge amount of subjectiveness involved.

 

Discuss.

 

 

 

 

Its about winners and losers,thats what I define a sport!

 

 

Yes I know you can draw on occasion,but you grasp what im getting at.

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To my mind sport should be based on fact and should not be subjective i.e. someone wins by scoring more than the opponents, or doing something factually better - longer, higher quicker than the rest. Anything subjective should not qualify as a sport (although subjectivity will always creep in somewhere).

 

For example -

 

Football - Sport (team scoring the most goals wins)

Running - Sport (fastest wins)

High jump - Sport

Show jumping - sport

Dressage - not a sport (subjective)

Diving - not a sport (subjective)

Figure Skating - not a sport

Speed Skating - sport

 

Where it gets difficult for me is things like Judo and karate etc. To me, there can easily be a clear winner, but there can also be a huge amount of subjectiveness involved.

 

Discuss.

you're absolutely right.

 

a distinct and transparent outcome to determine a winner - a sport (football, rugby, golf, tennis, hockey, the list is long).

 

an outcome based completely by opinions and interpretations, perhaps even other agendas - a judged contest (figure skating, diving, dressage, freestyle skiing, SCOTTISH FOOTBALL).

 

a sport can only be a sport in the true sense if it's officiated on a level playing field, that is why scottish football is a judged contest, a biased judged contest at that.

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To be a sport you need to kick a round ball about a pitch, trying to score into your opponents net :);) Pity we can't seem to do that these days:(

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Beer pong - greatest sport ever :P

 

Beer Pong is for Wusses.

 

The Single Pint Sprint is the true Blue Riband of Alcosports.

 

Getting back to the OP however. He is right to say that subjectivity invariably creeps in even in sports that are ostensibly objective.

 

Footballers are rewarded to put the ball over the goal line in the judgement of the referee, Sprinters are penalised for being judged to have made a false start. Weight lifters have to keep the weight raised till all three judges are satisfied. Even athletes such as myself risk disqualification for what is seen as excessive spillage.

 

In the types of activity that have been dismissed as not real sport (Figure Skating, Dressage, Synchronised Swimming etc...) feature subjective judgement as well but these judgements will inevitably look a lot more subjective to the outsider than to the enthusiast who knows it inside out.

 

Most of us will watch Gymnasts and be too busy thinking "how is that humanly possible" to compare the finer details of two good performances.

 

For people who've competed themselves, coached others to do it and are experienced judges it may be simpler than deciding on an LBW appeal or a tight offside call.

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Commander Harris

I recall having this discussion previously.

 

my definition was along the lines of "A competitive activity where the primary skill has a significant physical component."

 

This would include darts, snooker and golf but would exclude chess or poker.

 

EDIT: previous discussion here:

 

http://www.hmfckickback.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8576

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I recall having this discussion previously.

 

my definition was along the lines of "A competitive activity where the primary skill has a significant physical component."

 

This would include darts, snooker and golf but would exclude chess or poker.

 

EDIT: previous discussion here:

 

http://www.hmfckickback.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8576

 

I like your definition, but feel it would (quite rightly) exclude darts and snooker, and possibly golf.

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Its about winners and losers,thats what I define a sport!

 

 

Yes I know you can draw on occasion,but you grasp what im getting at.

 

Ha! Would love to see Pub Quizzing at the Olympics!

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