Sportsmanship
- Sportsmanship is behaving with fair play and respect for opponents, officials and the rules.
- Examples: kicking the ball out when an opponent is injured, shaking hands, applauding opponents.
Gamesmanship
- Gamesmanship is bending the rules, or doing things that are within the rules but against their spirit, to gain an advantage.
- Examples: time-wasting when winning, sledging (verbally distracting an opponent in cricket), or taking a long break to break an opponent's rhythm.
Deviance
- Deviance is behaviour that goes against the moral values and laws of the sport or society.
- Examples: taking performance-enhancing drugs, violence, match fixing, bribery and cheating.
- Reasons include the pressure to win, money, fame and the fear of losing a place or a contract.
- Consequences include fines, bans, loss of sponsorship and damage to the performer's and the sport's reputation.
Key terms
- Sportsmanship
- Behaving with fair play and respect.
- Gamesmanship
- Bending the rules to gain an advantage.
- Deviance
- Behaviour that goes against the moral values or laws of sport and society.
- Fair play
- Playing within the rules and spirit of the game.
- Match fixing
- Illegally deciding the result of a game in advance.
- Sledging
- Verbally distracting an opponent.
Practise Sportsmanship, gamesmanship and deviance: 10 questions