Category · 19 questions
Sports
Doping, trans athletes, billionaire owners, the ethics of fandom.
In this section
19 entriesAre Olympics an overall good or bad for the cities where they are hosted?
The Olympic Games are a set of international sports competitions that occur every four years for winter and spring sports, or every two years overall. Each competition is held in a different city in a different country, with the potential possibility to repeat a location. As the world economy and tourism expanded in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, there has been some debate as to whether the Olympics is an overall good or bad experience for a host country.
Is cheerleading a sport?
While no one can doubt cheerleading an intensive physical activity, whether or not it is considered a sport remains a popular debate. Cheerleading is not represented the same as other competitive sports (for example in the Olympics) leading some people to say it is not a real sport.
Is chess a sport?
Chess is a competitive game of strategy, mental agility, and endurance, that has been studied and played for generations. Competitions around the world, celebrity grandmasters, fans who play and study the game, all mirror many other professional sports. But is chess a sport?
Is it offensive for sports teams to use Native American mascots?
Teams like the Washington Redskins, the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians have always used Native American imagery and mascots in their branding. Advocacy groups accuse them of cultural appropriation and playing on racial slurs. Are their claims justified? Is the use of Native American imagery a sign of respect for their culture? Is their offence justified?
Is Lebron James the greatest basketball player of all time?
Is LeBron James the greatest basketball player of all time? This entry sets out the two positions in the perennial debate — that LeBron is the greatest of all time, and that he is not.
Is sport fandom a religion?
Does devotion to a sports team function like a religion? This entry sets out the two positions on the question — that sports fandom is a religion, and that it is not — weighing ritual, community and belief against the differences.
Is there too much money in football?
From humble beginnings, football has exploded into one of the most-watched sports in the world. Far from being just a game, football is now a multi-billion dollar industry. But does compromise the integrity of the game? Would football be better if there was less money involved?
Is VAR good for football?
FIFA, football's global governing body, along with those bodies running the game at regional and countrywide levels are gradually introducing more technology into the game in a bid to assist referees, prevent incorrect decisions and enhance the game's image.
Should athletes kneel during the national anthem?
In 2016, the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, first took a knee during the national anthem playing before his teams' first preseason games. Since then, many other athletes have also taken a knee in protest against police violence and brutality in America. What exactly does this protest mean? Is it disrespectful to the country and the sport, or is it a legitimate form of protest against a country that has never treated its minorities fairly?
Should doping be allowed in sport?
Vast resources are dedicated to detecting and punishing doping among athletes in professional sport. Despite the punishments, many competitors use performance-enhancing drugs anyway. Should doping be allowed in sport? Would it be better to let athletes take what they want? Or should doping be managed and controlled to create a more level playing field, rather than granting unfair advantage?
Should NCAA athletes be paid?
In the United States, college athletes receive scholarships for their athletic contributions to their schools instead of cash. The NCAA divides universities into 3 categories, or divisions. Division I schools have the largest student body, most athletic scholarships, and the biggest athletic budgets. Division II schools have fewer athletic scholarships and fewer students. Division III schools offer no athletic scholarships. Should these schools pay their student-athletes?
Should VAR be used in football?
The video assistant referee (VAR) has proven highly controversial since its introduction in FIFA's Laws of the Game in 2018, after years of calls for video to be used. Has it helped make football fairer or is it destroying the spectacle of the beautiful game?
Who is the best baseball player of all time?
Baseball, since the late 19th Century, has been a quintessential American pastime and, today, the MLB serves as the second-most popular major North American sports league. Within such a long and storied history of outstanding individual performances, many baseball fans naturally gravitate toward this question. From the absolutely reality-defying sluggers, pitchers, outfielders, and catchers, who is the best baseball player of all time?
Who is the best basketball player of all time?
Basketball is one of the most popular and storied sports in the world. For decades, the world's best basketball players have achieved international fame and glory through their performances on the court, in some cases becoming true global icons. As successive eras of basketball superstars have passed, the debate over which player is the greatest of all time has evolved with ever-increasing complexity and passion. Taking into account championships, records, accolades, statistics, and impact on the game, which player stands above all the rest? Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?
Who is the best Tottenham Hotspur manager of all time?
Who is the greatest manager in Tottenham Hotspur's history? This entry gathers the cases for the contenders — among them Bill Nicholson, Arthur Rowe, Harry Redknapp, Jose Mourinho and Martin Jol.
Who is the greatest tennis player of all time?
Tennis is a truly international sport, with great players from many different nations competing at tournaments across the globe to determine the best. The sport's preponderance of prestigious championships has allowed many different players to compile glittering records of achievements. But what matters most - major titles, peak form, contemporaneous competition, or something else entirely? And in consideration of it all, which player stands above the rest as the greatest to ever pick up a racquet?
Who is the greatest Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper of all time?
Goalkeepers are often relegated to the sidelines of history, and yet many long argued that theirs is the most important role in any football team. With Tottenham's current goalkeeper currently captaining the team, and his predecessors recognised for their superlative playing - who is the greatest Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper of all time?
Who is the greatest Tottenham Hotspur striker of all time?
White Hart Lane - the North London heartland of football club Tottenham Hotspur - has been home to many world class strikers since the team was established in 1882. But who is the team's greatest striker of all time>?
Why is Neymar featured in so many advertisements?
Why does the footballer Neymar appear in so many advertisements? This entry maps the explanations — that brands want to associate with a brilliant player, and that his look and personality make him ideal for advertising.