Historical view of amateur and professional

• Qualities such as leadership, loyalty, courage, discipline and commitment were encouraged –> developed through sport, especially team games
• Athleticism developed –> emphasis on goodness, manliness, restraint and discipline
• Public school sportsmen went to universities and many returned to schools to teach
• Knowing the benefit of organised competitive sport, they encouraged more to join them to form clubs

Sport used as a means of social control –> maintaining a clear distinction between amateur and professional

• Gentleman amateur – a gentleman of the upper and middle classes who played sport with strict adherence to the rules and strict ethical code concerning the manner in which sport should be played
• Professionals were paid to play – mostly from working classes
• Men were employed to play sport due to talent

Distinction between amateur/professional was enforced through strict rules about membership -> the middle classes excluded working classes

• Professional performers in 19^th century had limited earning potential –> but still better than wages of working classes
• Due to a rise in media interest in sport, most sports are able to support professional performers
• Increase in media coverage also led to increased status of professional performers – become role models and media personalities
• In today’s society – young people aspire to emulate their sporting heroes

Prior to 1970s:

• Intention of Olympics was to promote friendship, international harmony and understanding
• The Olympics existed within a Victorian ethos: fair play and sportsmanship
• Performers not only played within the rules but also within the etiquette of sport
• Performers were amateurs – no financial rewards for winning
• The symbols of the Olympics are designed to reinforce this – doves of peace, Olympics rings to show harmony, and athlete’s Olympic oath – these all identify the values of Olympism

Recent Olympic games:

• Vast increase in money from TV rights -> games are highly telegenic and attract large viewing audiences
• Different countries need to achieve sporting success in order to sustain interest and finance the games
• Host city has potential for substantial revenue through tourism, employment, prestige and facilities
• Media coverage has increased earning potential of athletes -> many games now involve professionals
• The Olympics have become hugely nationalistic –> countries spend millions on making competitors reach the highest level of physical prowess – Olympics are now elitist

Original establishment of Olympics (1896)

• Underlying philosophy -> the games would bring nations together, allowing young people to compete across national boundaries
• Participation was regarded as far more important than winning

More recent Olympics

• Amateur ethos has eroded over time as well as Olympic ideal of competing fairly i.e. respect for others
• Amount of financial support available for prep of performers varies considerably among different countries

• Sportsmanship/respect for opponent/fairplay
• Athleticism/physical endeavour with moral integrity
• Follow unwritten rules of the sport/etiquette/code of conduct
• Taking part is more important rather than winning/team loyalty as well as individual success
• No monetary prizes/winning for the glory/amateurism
• Self-discipline/maximum effort/high commitment level
• Natural ability – no drugs