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Sport holds a fascinating position in human culture. While it can bring people together, it also has a history of fostering division. 

Originally tied to rituals and survival, sport has changed into a global event influenced by nationalism, capitalism, and issues of identity.

 

Scholars have debated its societal role, swinging between admiration for its ability to create community and criticism of its underlying tensions.

Norbert Elias, in his influential study of the civilising process in 1986, suggested that sport mirrors society's evolving standards concerning aggression and self-regulation. 

He described modern sport as a “controlled decontrolling of emotions,” allowing conflict to be expressed within socially accepted limits. However, this control is delicate. 

As Eric Dunning noted, sport can also “reproduce and intensify social tensions,” particularly when strong loyalties—whether national, racial, or team-oriented—lead to violence.

The commercialisation of sport adds another layer of complexity. In 1981, Jean Baudrillard cautioned that in an age dominated by media, sport risks becoming a mere spectacle, prioritising appearance over substance. 

Athletes turn into brands, and competition serves mostly as an advertising platform. This transformation isn’t just surface-level; it changes the moral landscape. 

As David Harvey pointed out in 2005, under neoliberalism, sport has become a marketplace where “value is measured not by excellence or effort, but by profitability and visibility.”

This monetisation has effects that reach beyond the sports arena. The intertwining of sport with gambling, sponsorship, and global politics raises issues of integrity and access. 

Amartya Sen (1999), who discussed development and freedom, highlighted the importance of participation and individual agency. 

When sport becomes exclusive—either due to economic barriers or cultural restrictions—it loses its potential to be a force for empowerment and equality.

On the other hand, sport also provides a platform for challenge and redefinition. Feminist scholars like Jennifer Hargreaves in 1994 pointed out how the growing presence of women in sports contests patriarchal standards and broadens the scope of physical expression.

Moreover, disability advocates have redefined sport as a means of empowerment rather than merely a reflection of typical abilities.

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In the end, sport isn’t inherently positive or negative—it functions as a reflection. It showcases our values, contradictions, and ambitions. As philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre asserted in 1981, activities like sport acquire moral significance only when they are rooted in communities that prioritise excellence, justice, and a shared goal. 

Without this foundation, competition risks becoming empty—an activity pursued not for its meaning, but for dominance.