A yellow card for sport

Original title: Een gele kaart voor de sport.

Sport is usually described in positive terms, but not always. Stories about aggression on and off the football field, or doping scandals in the world of cycle racing, undermine the positive image generally associated with sport. These stories usually relate to elite sport, and especially those branches of sport where the earnings - and therefore the stakes - are the highest. Even those involved in amateur sport can however become (too) fanatical and sometimes forget the principles of fair play.

The world of sport thus in many ways reflects changing social developments such as increased assertiveness and reduced tolerance.

This publication is the result of a quick scan of physical and verbal aggression, discrimination and intimidation, alcohol use and smoking in sport. It looks at how often these undesirable practices occur, how often people are the targets or victims and how bystanders (such as fellow participants or spectators) perceive this behaviour.

Amateur sport is found not to be exempt from undesirable practices, despite the undisputed ability of sport to bind people together and to be of social significance. The world of sport has taken action in recent years to counter practices which clearly damage the image of sport and its followers, such as physical aggression or smoking. Less action has been taken in respect of practices where the damage is less immediately visible, such as discrimination, intimidation or alcohol use, except where legislation has made this mandatory.