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SPORTS May be used as a substitute to war
- 1. SPORTS: A SUBSTITUTE TO WAR? “SERIOUS SPORT IS WAR MINUS THE SHOOTING” -GEORGE ORWELL
- 2. Introduction War is masculine. Men desire war for it’s glory. For centuries a person was not considered a man unless he had made his mark on the battle field. But the modern era is much more refined and civilized. The general population of the world detests war and wants peace. But the thirst for glory, the craving for competition and desire to establish hegemony is deep rooted within every human being. Sports has been adopted as a means to satisfy these primitive desires.
- 3. Hero Worship Heroes of war had been adorned and showered with accolades since times imemorial. In the modern era sportsmen are treated in much the same manner. Fame, fortune and love of millions of people await those who make a mark on the field of sports.
- 4. Triumph Over Rivals Animosity between nations pours down to sports. People tend to treat encounters between rival nations in sports as encounters on the battle field. Ind vs Pak rivalry. The Olympics at the time of the cold war.
- 5. The Indo-Pak Rivalry Amongst the most fierce rivalry in any sports. Tensions are always high when these two sides go head to head with each other. As far as the spectators are concerned it is a matter of national pride. Sports have proven to be a healthy and peaceful means for the people of these nations to vent out their frustrations. Which is why it does not come as a surprise that sports, especially cricket, have played a key role in diplomacy.
- 6. The Cold War and the Olympics During the cold war era the most dramatic aspect of the Olympics was the fierce sports rivalry between the USSR and the USA. It was a symbolic struggle between two ideological systems. The performance of the actual athletes was overshadowed by the medal count. The goal was to outdo the other at all costs.
- 7. Sports Centered Rivalries Not all rivalries stem from hostilities. In fact most rivalries are purely sport. But just because such encounters do not have a history of war does not mean they are friendly. Take the example of European football which is anything but friendly. The devotion people show towards their teams is extraordinary almost as if it was their national army.
- 8. The Liverpool FC Anthem When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high And don’t be afraid of the dark At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky And the sweet, silver song of a lark Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain Though your dreams be tossed and blown Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone You’ll never walk alone Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone You’ll never walk alone If we take a close look at the lyrics it seems the song if for an army off to war rather than a football team.
- 9. Conclusion Sports offers us the thrill of battle but spares us the brutality. Sports has overtaken war as the ultimate rite of passage to masculinity. A victory at the international level brings a nation together like war does. Victory in sports provides a sense of superiority. We treat sports as we treat war. OR