Home Ethics Sociology Recent Deviant Acts in Sports

Recent Deviant Acts in Sports

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Recent Deviant Acts in Sports
Washington Redskins special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica was caught going to the bathroom into a cup on the sideline of a recent game. Photo: complex.com

As followers of sports we all know or should know that deviance in sport has existed across time and space and throughout the world, and whether or not someone commits a deviant act depends upon the time and place and who does the judging of said deviant act. The key, as stated, is who does the judging. Determining what deviance is, in other words, is a social process. The behavior itself is not enough; there must also be a reaction to it. The following examples can be judged as deviant acts of behavior both at the youth and professional level of sports.

At the professional level of sport we had an assistant coach make the decision to use the bathroom on the sideline without any regard for the fans and his actions. The actions of the coach can be judged by you, additionally his actions of peeing in the cup on the sideline goes completely against societal norms and could have broken stadium rules and laws.

I recommend that you read the information contained in both links so that that you are fully informed when making your judgement concerning both being implicated as deviant behavior in sports.

http://www.complex.com/sports/2016/10/lions-fan-exposes-redskins-coach-peeing-into-cup-sideline

At the youth level the actions of this coach were judged and action taken on the part of the youth football league.

http://www.yardbarker.com/other_sports/articles/youth_football_team_banned_coach_
fired_after_letting_adult_play_in_a_game/s1_13156_22225861

A youth football coach has been fired for trying to play an adult in a youth football game. Photo: Turnto10.com
A youth football coach has been fired for trying to play an adult in a youth football game. Photo: Turnto10.com

As mentioned earlier deviance in sports has been around since the beginning of sports and the examples provided are just two more that can be added to the list of questionable behaviors that now are part of the ongoing discussion about deviant behavior in sport.

By Fred J. Cromartie, Ed.D.

Dr. Fred J. Cromartie is the Director of Doctoral Studies at the United States Sports Academy, and can be reached at cromarti@ussa.edu.

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