Forrester PE Dept

Ethics

 

Definition:

Moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity.

 

Impact on Performance:

 

A person’s ethics can have both a positive and negative impact on performance. Some people believe in the principle that winning is everything. If this is your belief then you may attempt to bend the rules wherever possible in order to gain a competitive advantage over an opponent, and to pay less attention to the safety and welfare of the competition. Examples of this may be:

 

• Faking a foul or injury

• Inflicting pain on an opponent with the intention of knocking him or her out of the game.

• Taunting or intimidating an opponentAll of these examples place greater emphasis on the outcome of the game than on the manner in which it is played.

 

A more positive ethical approach is to ensure you follow a sportsmanship model where healthy competition is seen as a means of improving overall enjoyment and character. It contributes to a community of respect and trust between competitors and in society. The goal in sportsmanship is not simply to win, but to pursue victory in the correct manner by giving the best effort you possibly can.