Consensus Definition of the Concept Sports
Vasily Sutula*
University of Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture, Ukraine
Submission:July 21, 2020; Published:September 02, 2020
*Corresponding author:Vasily Sutula, University of Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture, Ukraine
How to cite this article:Vasily S. Consensus Definition of the Concept Sports. J Phy Fit Treatment & Sports. 2020; 8(2): 555734.DOI:10.19080/JPFMTS.2020.07.555734
Abstract
The article is a continuation of the previous article “General Definition of the Concept Sports” [1]. The results of the analysis of the existing definitions of the concept of “sport” indicate the existence of two facets in them - activity and result. Clarification of these categories allowed to formulate a consensual definition of “sport” in the following form. Sport, as a special socio-cultural phenomenon, is a historically determined activity of people aimed at training and participation in competitions and associated with the direct or indirect use of exercise, as well as individual and socially significant results of such activities.
Keywords:Consensus; Concept definition; Sport activity; Physical activity; Theory
Opinion
Problem statement, analysis of recent researches and publications
In 2018 in the journal “Physical Fitness, Medicine & Treatment in Sport” published an article “General Definition of the Concept Sports” [1] which aroused wide interest in the scientific community, as evidenced by the materials of the scientific portal ResearchGate. Thus, as of July 29, 2020, more than 400 scientists from 15 countries have reviewed the materials of the article. This article reflects modern ideas about the concept of “sport” and shows that currently there are more than 200 encyclopedic definitions. The results of the analysis conducted in the article also indicate the existence of a clear contradiction. On the one hand, there are several definitions of the term “sport” that differ in form but have a similar substantive basis, and on the other hand, it is impossible to introduce a “consensus” definition of this concept. The latter provision, given its scientific and practical significance, requires a separate and more thorough analysis.
The results of the study and their discussion
The results of the analysis of the definitions of the concept of “sport” given in the previous article [1,2] indicate that in all formulations there are two structural components - activity and result. Activity component in the existing definitions of “sport”. The results of the analysis of the activity component in the existing definitions of the term “sport” indicate a difference in the definition of the scope of this concept. Thus, in the definitions of the term “sport” presented in the European Sports Charter in the Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports” [3-8], the emphasis is on “competitive activity (physical activity) and the process of preparation for it.” This is contradicted by the scope of the activity component in the definition presented in the report of the UN Interagency Task Force which states that sport covers “all forms of physical activity of people.” Analysis of the activity component in the existing definitions of the concept of “sport” also indicates some difference in the interpretation of the meaning of this concept. Thus, in the report of the UN Interdepartmental Task Force [6], in the European Sports Charter [9] and in the work of Frenzel [7] the term “physical activity” is used, and in the Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports” [4] and in works of [5-8]- the term “activity”. These are the key content categories used in the existing definitions of “sport” to explain the process of preparing people for competitions and participating in them. It should be noted that the categories “activity” and “activity” are interrelated. Activity, as a specific form of human attitude to the world around us, is a human activity aimed at meeting personal needs. This means that the category of “activity” covers a wider range of phenomena and processes in which a person participates in the satisfaction of their needs, compared with the category of “physical activity”, because the latter characterizes only physical (physical) human activity, i.e. human activity. associated with its use in the process of preparation and participation in competitions only, to some extent, “own body”. However, in this formulation, the category of “physical activity” does not reflect information about the conditions of physical practice, i.e. about the specific means used by people in this process. Thus, there is no special feature that characterizes the sport that distinguishes this type of “physical activity” of people from others, such as various types of physical labor, physical activity in everyday life and more. It is obvious that the main means by which physical activity of people in the process of preparation for competitions and participation in them is practically realized is physical exercises. Given the consensus definition of the activity component of the concept of “sport”, it is necessary to make a clarifying component, namely, the phrase “human activity is associated with the use of exercise.” Summarizing the above considerations, as well as taking into account the remarks of Schilling [8] that the definition of “sport” has changed historically, the activity component in the consensus definition of “sport” can be presented as follows - “historically conditioned human activity directly or indirectly related to the use of physical exercises which is aimed at training and participation in competitions.
The resulting component in the existing definitions of “sport”. From the materials presented in the previous article [1] it is seen that the resulting component in all definitions of “sport”, except for the version proposed by Schilling [8], reflects to a greater extent individually significant results of people in sports, namely: providing good physical shape, mental well-being and social interaction [6]; expression or improvement of physical and mental well-being, formation of social relations or achievement of results in competitions of all levels [9]; identification and unified comparison of people’s achievements in physical, intellectual and other training [4]; self-assessment through another and another through oneself [3]; achievements in competitive activities, as well as specific interpersonal relationships and behavioral norms that arise from such activities [5]. Obviously, in such a configuration, the resulting component of the defined concept of “sport” does not provide a mutually unambiguous correspondence with its activity component. This is due to the fact that the “product” of sports activities of people are not only the above individually significant results, but also a wide range of socially significant results, which is mentioned in the work of Schilling [8] as a “high public assessment”. Socially significant results of such activities are manifested, for example, in the formation of a system of specific values, ideals, norms and patterns of behavior inherent in both the environment of athletes and fans; social phenomena and processes that arise as a result of such activities and around it (the system of competitions as a set of sports spectacles, sports federations, sports clubs, fan clubs, etc.); sports infrastructure (stadiums, gyms, etc.); socially significant movements (Sports for All, Olympic Movement, etc.); system of training of scientificpedagogical and coaching staff; sports science; special scientific literature and much more. The above-mentioned contradiction (discrepancy between the activity and the resulting components) existing in the above definitions was a kind of obstacle and root cause that made it impossible to introduce a consensual definition of “sport”. Given the diversity of people’s performance in sports (individual and socially significant results), as well as the above arguments, it will be appropriate to formulate the resulting component in the consensus definition of “sport” as follows - “individual and socially significant results of such activities [9].”
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