Introduction To The Philosophy Of Sport Heather Reid Summary

In Introduction to the Philosophy of Sport, Heather L. Reid presents a discussion of how ethics is treated in the arena of Olympism and some of the struggles of defining and how or if the ethical guidelines should be enforced. Reid notes, “Some would say that ethical principles are always the product of a particular culture, so there can no more be universal ethical principles than there can be a universal culture” (Reid, 22). I disagree with the notion that there cannot be universal ethical principles for athletes to follow in sport because even across cultures there are general morals that shape the lives of people from all over the world. For example, murder and cheating are inherently immoral actions, no matter where someone comes from;

therefore, there ought to be ethical standards universally accepted in the realm of sports, such as fair play, no matter the cultural background of athletes. Reid continues with stating, “There is something common to all members of the Olympic Movement, however—a sincere value for sport” (Reid, 22). To me, having a “sincere value for sport” means that sport can only have value if it has an innate set of ethics to guide participants in portraying such qualities as fairness, equality, and sportsmanship.
Accordingly, another questions remains as to the use of enforcement of such ethical principles in the Olympics. Reid expresses her view on this issue stating, “An ethical emphasis on virtue rather than legislation better reflects Olympic values, not least because it looks inward toward personal perfection, rather than outward toward the correction and control of others” (Reid, 23). I agree with Reid that it is better not to impose rules and regulations when it comes to ethics and rather have athletes take it upon themselves to uphold such values intrinsically; furthermore, the ethical standards have more meaning when each athlete values them without having to follow strict rules. This relates to Reid’s “Intrinsic Values of Sport” corresponding to excellence. She asserts, “Excellence in sport demands virtue…Being the best and outperforming all others…is valued in sport not because sport-specific skills are worthwhile but rather because the virtues that contribute to that performance can be transferred to other human endeavors” (Reid, 195). Reid makes an excellent point in that virtues and ethics employed through the course of sports extend beyond into everyday life. In addition, being “excellent” in sport is more than just the physical qualities but also the virtuous and internal characteristics.