Just or More Than Sport?!

Sport is all forms of competitive physical activity which can be casual or organised participation, such as soccer, football, basketball and badminton. The essential part of sport is a means of exchange and understanding among people of various backgrounds, nationalities or beliefs, and promotes expression beyond traditional barriers. It is the fact that sport is not only for health benefits and instils the nature of team work, discipline and a competitive spirit, but also it can contribute to social cohesion, tolerance and integration.

Sport is like an universal language that can connect people from all over the world. For example, the World Cup is held every four years to bring different races together to bridge cultural gaps. No matter what factions people are in, they integrate to support their own countries. Moreover, Sport can contribute to economic development by creating additional sources of income including the manufacture of sporting goods and the hosting of sports events. People like to buy the same jersey as their favorite soccer players to show their support. The tourism revenue can be generated whenever a country hosts a worldwide event like the World Cup. People come from different part of the world to the host country to watch the matches and spend money there.

Even though sport is beneficial in many dimensions, it still has its dark sides. For instance, it can potentially give rise to violent and illegal activity or transactions that may not be in a community’s interest. such as violence between athletes or spectators, the use of performance enhancing drugs, or the bribery and ownership of clubs by individuals who are motivated by non-sporting factors.