Friendly, fraternal and respectful behavior in sports competition
Fair Play is a concept widely used in the sports world to refer to the type of loyal and sincere behavior in sport, especially brotherhood and respect for the rival, the referee and the assistants of this.
Also known as Fair play, as a consequence of the very important campaign carried out in this regard by the FIFA, fair play has become the main concern of the aforementioned sports organization and many others as a result of the advance and repetition of reprehensible sports behaviors, not only on the part of the players but also on the part of the public, referees, sponsors advertising, managers and coaches, among other social actors that make up the broad spectrum that the universe of football implies.
In sport, rivals always face each other with the objective of defeating the opponent, however, this does not imply doing it in any way, that is, not everything goes for that purpose. It is necessary to try to defeat the rival respecting the rules of the game that is being contested, never breaking the rules. Cheating, disrespect, playing dirty are attitudes that are absolutely against the spirit of a competition that prides itself on such.
Regain the pleasure of gaming and entertainment
The promotion of fair play has as its main mission to recover from the forgetfulness of some the pleasure and feeling that gambling produces. Unfortunately, in recent years in the world in which we live, the idea that the most important thing is to always win, whatever the cost, has been growing, and not that the most important thing should be to be able to compete and interact through the game. and from sports with other individuals and get pleasant experiences out of it. The systematic disqualification against those who do not win has in some way taken over the sports field and of course, such a situation has led to the practice of behaviors such as cheating, physical and verbal aggression, among others, which certainly threaten what proposes true sportsmanship.
The increase in violence in society has also been transferred to football, which is precisely one of the sports that most faithfully reflects the popular mood, with all the good and bad that this entails of course.
The famous phrase coined by British and French athletes decades ago: the important thing is not to win but to compete, it should be the maxim that governs sport and the game, whatever the conditions in which they occur and also the condition that first Children and adolescents are taught that many times in these stages of life they are more concerned with winning than with the fact of competing.
The importance of teaching children that they matter is not winning but competing while respecting the rival
It is precisely in this last question of teaching that the roles that parents, the family and the school, main socializing agents of children in their early years, play are fundamental, because if a father is constantly telling his son that the important thing is to win the game, regardless of the way, how, then, the child will display a behavior of going out to win whatever it is, even if it costs him an injury or any other problem with the rival.
Different will be the father who instills in his son that the most important thing is to have fun playing and that if he wins better but above all he must respect the rival.
The two sides of the coin in this story will, of course, directly affect the attitude that a child takes towards the game.
The positive attitude that the player must assume
Players can contribute to fair play by avoiding simulations, showing that they enjoy the act of playing, not discussing the referee's decisions, even when they are wrong, not simulating fouls in order to punish the opponent, not resorting to doping that allows them to gain an advantage sports in the game, and above all maintaining an excellent treatment with their opponents, not insulting them, not making obscene gestures, making fun of them when the results do not accompany them, among others.
On the side of the coaches, their contribution should be to avoid denigrating acts against their managers and promoting the respect of their players for their rivals.
And the rest of the actors who also participate directly or indirectly in the sport, such as referees, fans, the media, parents and relatives can contribute by avoiding messages that promote rivalry or any other behavior incompatible with fair play.
We must also say that the concept is so ingrained in the popular community that it is usually used with the same connotation in other contexts of life that have nothing to do with sport.
