What is Sport?

[Mrs H]

I think I may be on a roll here as the SPOTY thread is taking off.

So emboldened by the debate as to whether darts is a sport I offer my not-thoroughly-thought out definition as a competitive activity decided by physical superiority. The physical element must require, strength, stamina or skill.

Everything else is just exercise or a hobby.

Therefore darts is definitely a sport in my book.

Any advances?

[Scott]

The relevant bit of the OED entry for "sport" is

4.a. An activity involving physical exertion and skill, esp. (particularly in modern use) one regulated by set rules or customs in which an individual or team competes against another or others. Freq. in pl.

The entry for "darts" calls it a "game". But then, the Olympic Games is just a load of games...

[Freefall]

In the Army orienteering is not a sport - it is military training (and hence better funding was/is available)

[denzil53]

What about rifle/pistol shooting? Or motor racing? Or (I'm going to regret this) Trail Orienteering?

[awk]

What about rifle/pistol shooting? Or motor racing? Or (I'm going to regret this) Trail Orienteering?

The first two involve considerable physical skill, so to my mind satisfy. Personally (and ready to be shot down), I've long felt that effectively removing the physically competitive aspect of the competition from Trail-O removed it from the realms of sport, even if it remains highly competitive in other ways, like chess. It remains one of the prime reasons why, having tried it on a number of occasions in the past, I've never really taken to it, although I can understand why it appeals to others.

[cbg]

A good question. Does the activity, in a competitive environment, involve a muscular motor skill that improves with practice? Darts yes; chess, and scrabble, no.

[AndyC]

Some years ago I turned on Eurosport and found myself watching Ballroom Dancing.
Skill, exertion and scoring I suppose it is a sport?

[Scott]

Back when I was on the Sports Federation at Oxford Uni, "dancesport" was apparently the biggest participation sport in the university by a long way (with 2,500 members - the orienteering club had about 25). Having seen a bit of it in action I would probably agree that it meets the criteria for a sport, although I've never been very keen on anything that requires a subjective scoring system

[roadrunner]

I agree with Scott about the subjective scoring (so that rules out ski jumping, gymnastics, etc ), but the OED definition only said sport had to involve physical exertion and skill - having rules and competition was optional (in that it said the word applied "especially" to those activities). So on that basis, dancing is a sport (and ski jumping etc. are back in again!)

[70plus]

From the above suggestions it sounds as though Sport is a "serious contest between teams or individuals, which probably entails obsession, excessive expenditure of effort , time, money and/or travelling". I suppose Darts might creep in there somewhere, but I have never considered anything which one often does in the pub as a sport. TV has a lot to answer for here IMHO.

[Clive Coles]

Surely it has to :

a) be colourful
b) has to move
c) has to make good television for those who are not able to be a) or b)above
d) has to keep retired Sportsmen and women in employment after their sell by date has been reached.

[Mrs H]

You mean......Strictly Come Dancing

[andypat]

The relevant bit of the OED entry for "sport" is

4.a. An activity involving physical exertion and skill, esp. (particularly in modern use) one regulated by set rules or customs in which an individual or team competes against another or others. Freq. in pl.

The entry for "darts" calls it a "game". But then, the Olympic Games is just a load of games...

I dont know about the OED definition. I think you have to also make some exclusions - otherwsie, for example, to continue the Army theme - warfare would appear to count as a sport. Likewise I feel that dancing should be excluded as the main aim is aesthetic rather than "sporting".

My definition of a sport is any activity where the competitors can be called athletes without any sense of irony. Therefore, darts = game, cricket = pastime, orienteering = sport (of course)

[awk]

Likewise I feel that dancing should be excluded as the main aim is aesthetic rather than "sporting".

The stumbling block there, of course, is gymnastics, amongst a few others. Indeed, there are marks for style in ski-jumping.

But, on the whole, I'd agree (that would get rid of sychronised swimming and rhythmic gymnastics from the Olympics, both of which would be a relief).

[Becks]

I'd like andypat to get through one modern dance routine to some trashy Europop and then tell me the guys that do that stuff aren't athletes...