Sports Research Work

Name: Jonathan Michael Tan

Class: 11A

Date: 24/08/2023

Sports is a very popular topic in today’s world. So many examples of sports exist today to the
point where it would be hard to name all of them.

What exactly is a sport?

A sport can be defined as an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual
or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

How many types of sports exist and what are they?

In total, there are 3 types which are:

-traditional sports: further divided into individual sports (participants participate as individuals),
partner sports (sports where there are 2 individuals on each side), and team sports (participants
work as a team)

-Extreme sports: a sport where unsuccessful outcomes may result in the injury or fatality of the
individual more than a non-extreme sport.

-Esports: rather controversial to be considered as a sport as some people argue that it does not
involve enough physical activity. However, some may argue that it takes stamina.

Traditional sports and modern sports

In today’s world, modern sports start to thrive, as traditional sports are slowly forgotten.

-Examples of traditional sports include: horse race, jereed, camel wrestling, bullfighting,
cockfighting and hunting
-Examples of modern sports include: basketball, table tennis, tennis, baseball and soccer

Modern sports such as basketball and soccer are highly popular and have many fans, unlike most
traditional sports.
Outdoor sports and indoor sports, what difference do they have?

Outdoor sport or outdoor activity refers to recreation engaged in out of doors, most commonly in
natural settings while Indoor sports means contests, exhibitions or displays of any sport held
indoors.

-examples of outdoor sports: hiking, surfing, horseback riding, archery and mountain biking

-examples of indoor sports: table tennis, treadmill workout, badminton, bowling and volleyball

What advantages do we get from participating in sports?

Participating in sports will bring us many benefits such as:

-Better sleep: If you play sports outside, you can benefit from fresh air which is said to promote a
good night’s sleep.

-A strong heart: Your heart will improve in performance when it is regularly challenged with
exercise.

-Build connections: Sport can offer a new way to meet others that you may not interact with day
to day. As a result, you can make new friends.

-Improve mental health: The Public Health Agency report that regular participation in sport and
being active can also promote good mental health.
-Reduce stress: Physical exercise reduces the stress hormones in your body and stimulates the
release of endorphins. These endorphins may give you more energy and focus for whatever life
has.

How is sports as a career in today’s world?

-Pros: Having sports as a career would automatically mean that you have a healthy lifestyle.
Many sports require teamwork, therefore, by having sports as your career, you would be honing
your ability to work with other people. Sports also require help hone discipline.

-Cons: Sports can be considered a risky career, and may not be the path for everyone, as you
require a rigorous amount of training to actually have a chance at making sports a full-time
career. It is very time-consuming. It is very competitive as only few make it to the top. Earnings
can also be unpredictable and sport careers are usually short-spanned due to the physical
demands.
The sports industry and commercialization

Commercialism in sport is about making a profit from sport. This involves three main groups:

-Sport: Sport benefits from commercialism. Increased revenue helps individual sportspeople and
sports organizations to increase participation, improve performances and attract support. As
technology becomes an increasingly important element of sport and sports compete with each
other to engage participants and spectators, funding is even more crucial.

-Media: The media benefits from the commercialization of sport. High profile sports stories help
to attract audiences, listeners and readers. In turn, the media makes sure that sport keeps a high
profile.

-Sponsors: Sponsors benefit from the commercialization of sport. Their funding is essential for
sport’s growth. In return, high profile coverage of sport ensures a high profile for their
companies.

In this way, sport – particularly elite sport, the media and sponsorship are interlinked. This is
called the golden triangle.

As well as its many benefits, commercialism in sport can also be negative. For example, some
people believe that the commercialization of elite football in the UK has changed the game for
the worse and is destroying the traditional community-based links between supporters and clubs.

Sports and media, what relationship do they have?

The media plays contributes massively to sports, whether it be social media, television or even
newspaper. It helps sports gain traction around the world, therefore attracting more fans and
generating more revenue. The media also plays a role in shaping public perception of sports and
athletes. The way that the media covers sports and athletes can influence how the public views
them. Of course, sports also affect media. It increases the use of media, for example, more
people buying newspaper and watching television channels for the sake of sports.

Various corrupt practices in the sports industry

Sports corruption has been a major issue of the sports industry and it comes in many forms,
whether it be bribery, fraud and the use of performance boosters. Sports corruption does not
always come from individuals, but can also come from the system itself.

-Examples of corruption by individuals:

 David Robertson, a golfer, was caught placing his ball on the green closer to the cup than
where it should have been.
  Conor Benn, a boxer, failed a drug test just before a match

-Examples of corruption by the system:

 Match fixing, wiretapping, Swiss sim cards and the biased selection of referees to
influence the outcome of top-flight Italian soccer games between the years 2004-2006
 Russia was awarded gold in the Pair’s Figure Skating despite Canada being praised as
the better performer, leading to an investigation highlighting judge corruption. This
happened in February 2002

What are the examples of sporting events which are popular in different countries?

Many sporting events are held every year, however, only some are popular. Examples include:

-FIFA World Cup: The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international
association football competition between the senior men's national teams of the members of the
Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the sport's global governing body.

-The Olympic Games: The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Games of the Olympiad,
and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event
normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece,
and the most recent Games were held in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan

-The 24 Hours of Le Mans, France: The 24 Hours of Le Mans is an endurance-focused sports car
race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the
world's most prestigious races

-The Super Bowl, United States: The Super Bowl is the annual league championship game of the
National Football League. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966,
replacing the NFL Championship Game.

-The Grand National, England: The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually
at Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap
steeplechase over an official distance of about 4 miles and 2½ furlongs, with horses jumping 30
fences over two laps.
How do competitive sports affect the world in general?

In general, competitive sports have a positive impact on the world.

-Economy: they generate a large revenue

-Jobs: they provide people with jobs

-National unity: Sports provide a platform for people to come together and support their country

-Provide children with role models: a lot of children look up to athletes, impacting them
positively

-Worldwide health: sports help with major issues faced worldwide such as obesity
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