https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5 en-us 2019-01-20 03:45:49 UTC 2025-12-15 18:12:31 UTC hello@padlet.com gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449009 Corruption in sport is prevalent in Australia and around the world. Competition corruption involves the actions of athletes and/or officials who have a responsibility for the outcome of a sporting event. Match fixing, spot fixing, misuse of inside information and doping are all types of competition corruption. Corruption is an issue in sport because it undermines the core values society places upon athletes and sporting competitions which evolves around principles of fair and honest play and integrity. 
Sport in Australia is frequently publicised through different forms of media. As this unit has emphasised, the media is commercially driven and therefore are often chasing the most newsworthy stories. Therefore, when activities occur in sport that are deemed deviant and involve controversy, media coverage is often all over it. This is evident in the case of corruption in sport. 

Match fixing involves manipulating the outcome of a sporting match. For reflections on match fixing I will focus on the Australian Cricket ball tampering scandal in 2018. In summary, three Australian cricket team members (one of whom was the captain, and another who was vice captain) were caught in a ball tampering scandal in which their aim was to rough up the match ball in an attempt to alter and affect is motion when bowled. The incident was caught on television footage and the media aftermath was outrageous. Most of the newspaper articles that surfaced after the incident were all similar in nature. Majority of the articles included words such as disappointed, shocked, embarrassment and dumb. They also dived deeper into the incident suggesting that the culture of the Australian cricket team needs to be address rather then just scrutinising the players involved. As mentioned above, sport is important in Australian culture, therefore when people are caught cheating it often fuels emotions such as anger and disappointment. We expect sport to be fair and honest so when athletes break these rules we are let down and disappointed This is reflected in the images the media represents of athletes involved in corrupt sporting activities. Not only are these extremely newsworthy stories but they also produced certain values society expects from sports men and women. In order to explain why athletes may become involved with match fixing or the other types of corruption is an interesting point to consider. Strain theory as mentioned in this week, suggest certain strains or stressors may influence the likelihood of people engaging in corrupt behaviour. Society places a huge amount of pressure on sporting clubs and athletes to produces the best result possible. The pressure to win by society and coaches may be push athletes to become involved in corruption. 

Due to the global issue of corruption in sport many laws have been implemented. The Anti-match-fixing legislation is one of these. It is evident that preventing corruption in sport is a key factor in sport today. 

Week six helped me identify different types of competition corruption in sport and the implications corruption can have including loss of faith in the sport, loss of sponsors, social damage (often enhanced by the media), loss of image and a lack of interest at competitions, on television, etc. ]]> 2019-01-20 03:52:43 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449009 gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449021 Management corruption involves non-competition decisions made by sport officials and governing bodies. Types of management corruption include bribery, kick backs, fraud, vote buying and allocation of rights. An example of management corruption is the FIFA 2015 scandal. This scandal found FIFA officials and associates were involved in corruption spanning for over 20 years. The officials and associates were facing charges of bribery, fraud and money laundering. 

After reviewing both competitive corruption and management corruption I feel there is a slight difference in how they are portrayed by the media and the image they are representing. For example, competitive corruption portrayed by the media is often emphasising disappointment in the athletes whereas management corruption doesn't emphasise this as much. Perhaps this is because as society we expect the best of the best from these athletes as we look up to them and idolise them. However, we don't have the same relationship with sporting officials. No doubt we still become disappointed by these corrupt activities but we do not become as involved or as invested as we do with athletes. Officials and governing bodies however play a crucial role in sport. Good governance is key to preventing management corruption. 

Week seven allowed me to understand the difference between competition corruption and management corruption. Although focus is more commonly placed upon competition corruption, management corruption is also a major problem in sport today. The importance of good governance can not be overlooked. ]]> 2019-01-20 03:53:02 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449021 gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449062 Substance use in sport is world-wide problem. Some athletes turn to prohibited substance use to enhance their sporting performance. This may be achieved through promoting recovery and improving physical body appearance. Performance enhancing drugs include stimulants, anabolic steroids, beta2 agonists, narcotics, diuretics, blood doping and peptide hormones. These prohibited substances become an issue in sport due to creating unfair advantages over other competitors. 

Perhaps one of the most well-known cases of doping in sport is that of cyclist Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong was banned from cycling for life blood doping during his competitive cycling career. Similar to the discussion in week 6, society views athletes very highly. They are put on pedestals and looked up to by many children and also adults. We have an expectation of them to be able to perform to the best of their ability and to produce a favorable outcome and when they don't achieve this outcome we are left disappointed. Hearing of great athletes such as Lance Armstrong being involved in doping scandals is absolutely disheartening. Any type of cheating in sport is frowned upon and perhaps even more so when it involves the use of illicit substances. Substance use like other forms of corruption yet again interferes with our values of fair and clean play in sport. Due to this the media is often quick to release articles and statements of any athlete involved with illicit drug use in sport. Similar to corruption these images are provoked by feelings of disappointment and embarrassment. 

Substance use off field is also a common feature of several sports. For example, Rugby league players are often depicted in the media as heavy alcohol users, drug takers and party goers. 

Week nine emphasised the presence of illicit and licit drugs in sports on and off the field. Drugs are controversial regardless of the situation and perhaps this is amplified in the context of sport. We expect athletes to be clean and fair and we are often disappointed and shocked when allegations of doping surface. ]]> 2019-01-20 03:54:04 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449062 gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449144 Violence is a prominent feature in Australian sport. There are several types of violence that occur in sport. These types include crowd violence, player violence and sports violence. Violence and sport is often a complex issue. This is mainly due to the fact that some violence on the field is consider acceptable, while others are not. Furthermore violence that occurs off the field is considered unacceptable. In some sports, violence is apart of the game. For example, boxing is a sport that involves violence. Football is another sport that involves physical contact however, this is restricted by rules and regulations. Violence in sports such as these are expected and normalised by society. This is often reinforced through rewards by coaches and spectators. I found it interesting that traditional gender stereotypes contributes to this normalisation. For example, traditional gender stereotypes expect men to be tough, strong and aggressive. These stereotypes are then reproduced with what is expected of them on the field. To be a man you have to be tough, play through pain, be aggressive not soft and show your masculinity. Violence in these sports is expected and accepted because boys will be boys. These stereotypes are also present when we look at women as victims of violence. Frequently we hear stories of football players in trouble or going to court for assault chargers against women. In this sport women are often portrayed as conquests and their victimisation is downgraded. Furthermore, the media does not provide as much coverage of these situations then it does for violent incidents on field. 

In week ten, I have learnt that the acceptance and normalisation of violence in sport is a common in Australian society. It is embedded in our culture that violence is an acceptable part of sport especially among males and physical contact sport such as football. It is important to not overlook that this acceptance reinforces violent behaviour both on and off the field.


]]> 2019-01-20 03:55:52 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449144 gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449160 Major sporting events such as the Olympic Games have many positive and negative impacts on individuals and communities. Hosting a major sporting events such as the Olympic games is beneficial for the country where the event is being hosted as it is most likely to lead to economic advantages both short-term and long-term. Tourism is an exampled of an economic advantage. People may travel to the host country for the sporting event which will result in good economic flow into the country. They also provide infrastructure development which ultimately creates jobs. These events are also important for improved cultural relations. Unfortunately some negative factors also arise from such events. White collar crime and blue collar crime are among those negative factors. White collar crime during occurs less than blue collar crime but is much more costly for the victims than the latter. White collar crime usually takes place during the planning phase and duration of the event. Blue collar crime also takes place throughout the duration of the event and is most likely to occur at the venue. For example, stealing spectators money and belongings.

In week eleven I have learned the positive and negative impacts of major sporting events for individuals and communities. I also found it interesting to dive deeper into the crimes that occur during these events because they are rarely spoken about or publicised during these major sporting events. ]]> 2019-01-20 03:56:17 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449160 gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449181 Despite some of the negative aspects of sport mentioned in the previous weeks, sport has some significant and beneficial aspects. This week has shown that sport can have a positive impact on the prevention of crime and the rehabilitation of offenders. It is well known that physical activity is associated with a vast array of health benefits. Physical activity encourages positive mental and physical behaviours. This is important for those who may be suffering with substance abuse, depression, anxiety and stress. Through sport, individuals are encouraged to learn and develop new skills. This can benefit them by enhancing their general wellbeing and feelings of satisfaction. This will further develop a sense of belonging which may assist individuals and help steer them away from criminal activities. Particularly for youth, who often engage in criminal activity due to boredom or feelings that they do not belong. In the week twelve, the final week, I enjoyed exploring the contribution of sport to crime prevention in the Criminal Justice System. I do believe in the importance of sport for both positive mental and physical outcomes. It may be a beneficial way to encourage youth to come together and participate and social in a fun and safe many which will hopefully allow them to steer clear from taking a criminal path. ]]> 2019-01-20 03:56:36 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/322449181 gabbieholmes https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/323775422 Sport is embedded in Australian culture and plays an important role in Australian society. Elite athletes are regarded highly by the rest of society as we watch them in ore of their astonishing talent. However, sport is not all glory as I have found out in crim388. The last six topics emphasise and shine light on the not so pleasant aspects of sport which will be reflected on in this pad.]]> 2019-01-24 05:29:43 UTC https://padlet.com/gabbieholmes/pblumuqjrfa5/wish/323775422