In the history of humanity, aggression and violence are two things that seem to happen over and over again. Sports are generally peacetime activities, but they can also be infused by so much violence and aggression. The result can be quite devastating mentally and physically. There are different levels of aggression in sports and player’s safety could be threatened. The level of violence could be higher in contact sports. In fact, some of the commonly accepted moves in sports can be considered as violent in real life situation. Body checks in hockey; tackles in soccer and football can turn into something violent in these fast-paced sports. However, even in the normal state, these moves can still be considered as potential violence.
Many sports activities can be considered as borderline violence. This could happen when athletes bend the rules or even violate them. Some professional athletes may argue that what they are doing is a competitive strategy. Little elbow nudge in various sports can be meant to intimidate other players, but not to directly harm them. When some level of fear has been instilled, the more aggressive player can have an edge. The next level of violence could be considered as quasi-criminal violence. This often involves direct violation of the game rules. When discovered, these people could be suspended. Flagrant fouls, sucker punches, late hits and cheap shots can potentially hurt players from the opposing team. The worst level of violence in sports can be considered as criminal violence. In this case, the athlete has a clear intention to injure the other player, so the person can be removed from the game. If proven, the athlete could be banned for a long-period of time and persecuted based on local laws.
Some sports tools can also be used as a form of weapon. Hockey stick can be swung or thrown to harm other players. Some baseball pitchers may intentionally throw the ball to the neck and head region of a skilled batter. This could cause injuries and it could prove to be fatal. In many cases, injuries in sports are not intentional, but actual intentions can easily be masked as accidents. It is important for everyone involved to understand how violence could happen in sports. Enmity and animosity are two factors that encourage violence among athletes. Hatred toward one another can make violence more likely to happen.
Violence happens not only among athletes; but also among spectators. Often, fans are the most emotional groups, more than athletes themselves. There are many thousands of fans of a sports team; it takes only a few dozens of hot-headed fans to start a riot. It is important to immediately stop the effects of violence in sports. When an athlete has started to show a type of violence, such as an intention to inflict fear; it is important to address that immediately. Athletes should act like professional athletes, contact or no-contact. They should do their best without ruining their career by resorting to violence.
