The Importance of Sport: How it is distorted by Capitalism

 

The Importance of Sport: How it is distorted by Capitalism

Amongst those who may be considered as the ‘cadres of the left’, that is those who consider that the replacement of capitalism by socialism (or communism if you prefer that term) is the major, or indeed the only, meaningful activity, there are many who disparage or look down upon sport of any kind as a wasteful activity. To my mind, this is a failure to understand the purpose of life. Fulfilment in life comes in many different forms, people have different interests, indeed people have multiple interests which vary in degree and extent. The whole purpose of our politics in getting rid of capitalism is to enable every individual to enjoy life in the way that gives them complete satisfaction. Work is of course an essential part of this. Work in a capitalist society alienates individuals from themselves. Work should be an area of fulfilment. Political activity should also be part of that personal fulfilment. However, life consists of more than both of these, cultural and sporting activities along with other interactions between people are all aspects of a fulfilling life. If anyone is denied any of these activities, for whatever reason, their life is not complete.

As in all analyses, one must begin with ones own experience. As a boy, I grew up in the street. We played football with a small ball, using the large wooden gates which presumably opened up into large gardens, as out goal posts. We would play in one placed until nearby residents got fed up with the noise and told us to ‘clear off’, when we would move to another site with suitable goal posts. As I walk round the former council estate near where I live, I am impressed by the design of the estate which includes a number of areas of green space, some with goal posts, where youngsters could, if they wished play football. I well remember our annual trip, when we all walked the mile and a half to the meadows, divided into two teams, put down coats for goal posts, and played football with a full size football until we were tired, ended up arguing, trudged home, crossed the railway bridge, bought and ice cream, and went home.

I realised the effect of class on football at the start of my second year in Grammar School. At primary school I had played as goalkeeper for my school. My school was a small school, the playing field had been taken for air raid shelters during the war. In order to play football we had to walk across town to one of the playing fields. One year I remember playing on the ground used by the local (Loughborough Brush) football teams. The grass was inches deep in mud. Only three schools had their own grounds. The large school built post war had a large area and most of our games were played there. One other school played at a nearby recreation ground. At the end of the season a team was chosen from the rest of the league to play the champions, who actually played their games at the ground of the village team. A bar was fixed on the goal posts to reduce the height of the goal. I was chosen as the goal keeper for the rest of the league.

The class effect came in when all the Grammar schools in the area switched from football to Rugby Union as the winter sport. I have always been convinced that the change was due to the raising of the school leaving age as part of the changes which had also enabled me to go to a Grammar School (the 1944 Education act). They could not allow their precious Grammar School boys to play against those horrible Secondary school boys now, could they!!!! Although at a Grammar school I never forgot ‘the rock from whence I was hewn’. I retained by working class instincts. I have never fully accepted rugby union. Towards the end of my school careeer a group of students in my year formed a football team for whom I played, but not as a goalkeeper. We played for the enjoyment just as we would meet up during holidays for a kick around. We hoped to win but enjoyed the game even when we lost 2-7. Football, like all sport, is an activity to be enjoyed. Throughout my life I had followed the Foxes (Leicester City FC) through there highs and lows, because they are my team.

Having set out the background, I will now turn to my concerns. The Daily Telegraph Sports section seems to have a different approach to the main newspaper, maybe perhaps they are dealing with sporting issues rather than items that might be considered more political. Several items recently have raised concerns, at least in my mind, as to how we should regard ‘sport’ in these modern times. The first was in relation to Andrew Murrey’s suggested intention that, on retirement, he might consider becoming a golf caddy. The article set out the difficulties that he would face. Apparently golfers and their caddies are treated differently. They are expected to stay in different hotels, that of the caddy being inferior. Some Golf Courses do not allow caddies to enter particular areas of the Golf Club, these being reserved for golfers rather than their caddies. Although Andy Murray could well afford to stay in the Hotel along with his golfer, this would probably not be acceptable, him being a caddy. The article was by no means an attack on Andy, the writer was simple putting the situation in its context. This context is clearly one of class distinction. A distinction brought about by the capitalist structure of society.

My second issue of concern was with football. In this case the fact that of the boys who entered the academies of the premier league clubs only one in six would still be playing for the club by the time they were in their twenties. A similar situation applies to the university system in the USA whereby promising sportsmen are enrolled in Universities in order to play for the University sports teams. Apparently the finals of some of the competition, in which these players participate, bring large amounts of money to the University. However, the players are not allowed to receive any rewards, financial or otherwise, for their participation. It is argued that they receive a University education but, as they have to devote many hours to training for their sport, their final grades are relatively low compared to other students. In the case of youngsters entering football academies and sports stars accepting University places, the aim is not to develop those individuals but to generate success, and ultimately financial rewards for the club or University. In both cases there are adverse consequences. Many young people, hoping to became stars and succeed in a sport that they love, find those hopes dashed. After years of commitment they are deemed to be ‘not good enough’ . In their own eyes they have failed.

It is not only in football that this pattern is observed. It is probably more keenly sensed in sports such as swimming, athletics, gymnastics, where a career in such sports has to begin very early in life in order that the body can adapt to the needs of the sport. The decision has to be made well before the child concerned is able to make any decision about their own future. They may, indeed, enjoy the particular activity but even this is induced by the influence of a parent or other guardian, who may either have excelled in that activity or have been thwarted in not being able to engage in the activity to the extent that they desired. The consequence of being so selected is that their lives are moulded to the pursuit of that particular activity with the result that other aspects of their development are bound to suffer.

A further aspect of this matter, which I will not dwell upon, is the extent of abuse that young people suffer at the hands of, hopefully, a few of those who are placed in care of them. The issue has become prominent recently in terms of football, but it is not isolated to football and has been observed and denounced in other sports as well. I write ‘hopefully a few’ because I do not believe that the majority of coaches and others involved in sports seek to abuse or exploit the young people within their care. Those involved are caught up within the structure of sport which has now become fully part of the capitalist system that dominates all of our lives.

The point I wish to make is that Sport, which ever particular sport one is interested in, is an intrinsic, valued and important aspect of all of our lives. We should all be able to enjoy sport in whatever way and to whatever extent we desire. It is part of our social and cultural existence. For those who criticise sport should question what is it that they criticise? What they should not criticise is the sport itself, nor the sports person who enjoys that sport. What we should criticise is the commercial aspects of sport which places the revenue that accrues from sport above the social importance of sport. Criticising footballers for the extravagant wages they receive, is to miss the point. Clearly society would be better off if a different means of rewarding sportsmen were available, but paying footballers less would simple mean more money for those financiers who gain from the sport. All sports should be seen in two ways. Sport for all, with the pleasure of enjoying it actively or watching other preform to the best of their ability is a vital aspect of life to be encouraged. The commercialisation of sport is an aspect of capitalist society which will only be removed when we get rid of capitalism. With this we can have a society in which ‘from each according to their ability, to each according to their need’ becomes a reality.

Scribart 19 .4.21