Rules and Principles of Sports

Sports

As with any activity, there are several rules and principles that govern how we play sports. Some of these rules and principles have historical roots. For example, sportsmanship is the aspiration to enjoy an activity for its own sake, as proclaimed by Pierre de Coubertin and Grantland Rice. Other fundamental principles of sports include that there are no predetermined results and that all participants are given equal opportunity to win. While the rules are designed to promote fair play, some participants break the rules to gain an unfair advantage.

Sports also have emotional aspects. An athlete’s emotions are the reflection of his/her own performance, as well as his or her perceived evaluation by others. Some of these feelings occur before and during a performance, while others emerge afterward. Athletes must learn to regulate their feelings, a process governed by sport’s subculture. These “feeling rules” can help athletes manage their emotions during the performance of a given activity, as well as during national anthems or victory celebrations.

In the late seventeenth century, sports began to become secular. While traditional games were discouraged during the Puritan Reformation, many sports were still popular among the upper class. The 17th century Czech educator John Amos Comenius, for instance, promoted physical education. Dances, including the modern ballet, were also popular among elites. Some French and Italian fencers even thought of the sport as a form of art.