Category: Sports

Abstract

This is a summary of the research paper on how to develop a cycling culture and build an Olympic champion in the UAE: Investigations include:

• The approaches to spread the cycling culture.
• How to use the following to spread the culture:
  • Planning;
  • Communication;
  • Legal representation;
  • Strategic planning.
• Determine stakeholder roles.
• Use of different models.
• Sample size 103.
• Target population students from schools and universities.
• Research design correlational.
• Research method: Qualitative and quantitative paradigms.

Introduction

The cycling culture was at its lowest among students and members of the public in the UAE (Alrawadieh & Johnson, 2012).

Challenges:

• Lack of training programs (Lentillon‐Kaestner, 2013).
• Strategies to spread the cycling culture among schools and universities.
• Educating the society to accept the cycling culture by encouraging them to join the training program (Aldred, 2010).
• Building excellence clubs to manage the cycling games.
• Amalgamating the critical success factors (sports law, sports management strategies, communication, marketing).
• Student cycling posture.

Developing a Cycling Culture

Statement of the Problem

Building a cycling Olympic champion in the United Arab Emirates is an important problem because cycling does not attract many students from the schools, universities, and the society in the UAE leading to a very low turnout (Wexler, 2012). Here, the problem has been caused by lack of a cycling culture among the students in UAE’s learning institutions and among the cycling fans. To solve the cycling culture problem among students and the society, a study was conducted based on the following objectives:

Objectives

• To spread the cycling culture within the schools, universities, and the society.
• To build an excellence clubs and a federation to manage cycling events.
• To develop an Olympic Champion.

Significance of the Study

The study will provide a solid background for students and fans on how to build the cycling culture to develop Olympic champions in the UAE.

Literature Review

Bicycle Culture

Spreading the cycling culture among schools, universities, and the society by:

• Holding cycling training courses in schools and universities (Horton & Parkin, 2012).
• Establishing cycling routes (Bromber & Krawietz, 2013; Sulayem).
• Using events to promote cycling among the community members (Alsharekh & Springborg, 2012; Aldred, 2010).
• Providing facilities such as showers for participants to use once a cycling event is over.
• Promoting the use of appropriate cycling gear.

Use campaigns such as leaflets to promote the cycling events and culture (Attride-Stirling, 2001; Burke, 2003; Steele, 2012; Skinner & Rosen, 2007).

Setting up group cycling events to promote the cycling culture (Bromber & Krawietz, 2013).

Encourage community participation (Berg, Lune & Lune, 2004; Bonham & Koth, 2010).

Encourage students’ participation and sharing culture.

Bicycle culture – Encourage practice, maximum intensity cycling, encourage change of social behavior (Xing, Handy, & Mokhtarian, 2010; Buttner, Cruz, Stetzenbach, Klima-Comba, Stevens & Cronin, 2004).

Practical Sessions

Students on a practical cycling session to gain the necessary cycling skills such as:

• The high degree of endurance;
• How to apply their strengths.

Corporate Social Responsibility

• Community participation in cycling events.
• Spread the cycling culture among the community.
• Encouraging.
• People from.
• The society.
• To participate.

Cycling Events

• A cycling event involving many participants from different schools and the society.
• Successful participants will be selected from the pool of participants.

Gearing Up to Participate in the Cycling Event

• Planning and getting prepared to participate in the cycling event.
• Dressing for the event.

Implement maximum-intensity cycling that lasts for 10 to 500 minutes (Rissel, New, Wen, Merom, Bauman & Garrard, 2010; Rein & Shields, 2007).

Increase performance by improving lactate threshold, cycling economy, and the maximal oxygen consumption (Nohr, 2009; Melnyk, Cooper, & Hartley, 2011; Peveler, 2008; Campbell, 2011).

Use maximal training to increase the cycling economy of the trainees (Horton & Parkin, 2012).

Create clubs and employ trainers (Xing, Handy & Mokhtarian, 2010).

Use of the cycling training curriculum to train cyclists (Heijmans & Mallon, 2011; Alrawadieh & Johnson, 2012; Aldred & Jungnickel, 2014; Hill, Jones & Schilling, 2014; Hogan & Fisherkeller, 1996; Horton & Parkin, 2012; Kitano, Radu, Shaaban & Flake, 2000).

Encourage endurance(Yeoman, 2004).

90% of the tasks dependent on the aerobic metabolism of the body.

Cycling Gear

The gear includes a bicycle, and attire that participants have to be aware of to purchase.

Training

Figure 7.

Developing an Olympic Champion

• Use the Olympic Podium Program to establishing performance based cycling teams (Mangan,1992).
• Develop positive personalities among participants to make them resilient(Lentillon‐Kaestner, 2013).
• Increasing self-awareness.
• Maintaining focus when undergoing training (Lian, Zhu, Xiang, Li, Yang & Wang, 2010).

Training institutions

• Demonstrates a cyclist practicing;
• Guidance in class on how to cycle;
• Lessons taught in various schools and cycling clubs.

Building federations and excellence clubs to manage competition:

• Strategic planning-Systematically implement the cycling culture, involve stakeholders, and use of excellence models (O’Connor & Hassan, 2013).
• A communication plan encourages free communication and the sharing of ideas among cyclists (Fullagar & Pavlidis, 2012; Furness, 2010; Hassall, 2012).
• Internal organization- Conduct a PESTEL analysis.
• Legal representation- Educate cyclists on the need for legal representation (Coakley & Pike, 2009; Coombs, 2014; Evans & Lindsay, 2012).
• Financial planning- Identify direct and indirect costs and start programs to raise funds.
• Create standard training programs.
• Train leaders to organize, train, and create agreements among teams and other participants (Emeis, Mara, Schlarbaum, Möbius, Dähnke, Struck & Krom, 2010).
• Increase the number of events to improve performance (Amara, 2010; Amaize, Mady & Benson, 2011).

Train teams on:

• Stamina;
• Speed;
• Strength;
• Sustenance;
• Psychology;
• Suppleness;
• Structure;
• Skills.

Cycling speed

Shows the maximum characteristics of cycling speed to be efficient and energy consumption is 50% and cycling efficiency to:

• Be 70%;
• At 40 km/hr.

Culture

• Define the cycling culture and increase motivation (Pucher, Thorwaldson, Buehler, R., & Klein, 2010).
• Define a vision statement that provides direction and hope for the participants.
• Learning from Olympic champions models.
• Align the core values with the cycling culture.
• Associate cycling culture with successful people (Bowdin, O’Toole, Allen, Harris & McDonnell, 2006; Bryan, Grandgirard & Ward, 2010; Davis, 2012).
• Encourage participants to practice regularly.

Methodology

Qualitative and Quantitative Paradigms

Qualitative – Systematic review of literature on cycling culture:

• Conducting an in-depth study of the cycling culture;
• Explore the theories used to explain the cycling culture;
• Address complex issues;
• Provides a holistic view of the cycling culture.

Quantitative – Analysis of empirical data collected using questionnaires.

Population and Sample Size – University, high school, and college students, and fans.

Sampling Strategy – Probabilistic sampling strategy.

Findings and Analysis

Sample size-310 participants.

Represented by male and female participants from universities, schools, and the community.

Spreading the Culture

89.7% Strongly agree that success depends on spreading the cycling culture among schools, colleges, and universities.

Planning

• 55.4% agree on establishing a plan;
• 7.9% neither agree nor disagree;
• Supervision of all activities occurs;
• Steering committee put in place;
• Internal security;
• Put in place.

Communication

70.6% strongly agree with the need for a communication plan and 15% agree with the need for the plan:

• Local community part of the organizing committee;
• Showing corporate social responsibility;
• Sponsorship programs evaluated;
• Logistics identified.

Internal Organization

• 69.5% strong agree with establishing internal organisation;
• 13.9% agree;
• Some students were less conversant with the need for internal organisation;
• Internal organisation allows for preparation of internal security;
• Communication centers established;
• Command and controls established;
• Public address systems put up.

Legal Representation

• 20.7% strongly agree with legal representation;
• 31.7% agree with the need for legal representation;
• Legal representation involving the right legal team established.

Financial Planning

• 37.9% strongly agree with the need for a financial plan;
• 27.2% agree;
• Financial auditing necessary;
• Market surveys necessary;
• Budget analysis necessary to plan for an event.

Building an Olympic Champion

63 % strongly agree.

Based on the capacity to:

• Train students;
• Train participants;
• Attract sponsors.

Building Culture

91.2% agree with building the culture involves:

• Interaction with media;
• Incorporating people with different values and beliefs;
• Encouraging fair play.

Building an Olympic champion

• 37.9% strongly agree with the need for resilience;
• 27.2 % agree on athlete and participant development 16.2% agree on competitive cycling techniques;
• 14.9% agree on building the cycling culture.

Factors to consider:

• Resilience;
• Participation;
• Competitive cycling.

Discussion and Conclusion

Building the cycling culture in the UAE requires:

• People commitment;
• Resource commitment;
• Societal involvement;
• Program development.
• Effective internal organisation (69/6%);
• Legal representation (51.7%);
• Support for the planning component (81%);
• Communication plan (68.3%);
• Financial planning (63.4%);
• Preparation of program managers;
• Identification of sponsors;
• Teaching road safety;
• Offering support activities;
• Enabling access to skills;
• Use of different means to spread the cycling culture (86%);
• Use a clear communication plan;
• Setting the right communication plan;
• Solving team conflicts amicably;
• Building the Olympic champion (65.1%).

Apply:

• Athlete participation (27.2%);
• Competitive cycling skills (16.2%);
• Develop a cycling culture (14.9%).

The core elements to implement to build an Olympic champion include:

• Lactate threshold;
• Cycling economy;
• Maximal oxygen consumption;
• Endurance development;
• Use strength training techniques.

Combine endurance with the strength training techniques.

The goal is for trainers to achieve 37% of maximal aerobic power.

In conclusion, it is important to develop the cycling culture among students and the community to develop a cycling champion.

The Champion

• An event celebrating a successful champion.

References

Alsharekh, A., & Springborg, R. (Eds.). (2012). Popular culture and political identity in the Arab Gulf states (Vol. 6). New York: Saqi.

Aldred, R. (2010). ‘On the outside’: constructing cycling citizenship. Social & Cultural Geography, 11(1), 35-52.

Aldred, R., & Jungnickel, K. (2014). Why culture matters for transport policy: the case of cycling in the UK. Journal of Transport Geography, 34(1), 78-87.

Alrawadieh, Z., & Johnson, D. (2012). Building Sports Tourism and Event Portfolios–Key Success Factors in Middle East Sports Tourism: A Case

Study. London. Journal of Tourism, Sport and Creative Industries, 6(7), 30-41.

Amara, M. (2010). Sport and development in the Arab World–between tradition and modernity. Routledge Handbook of Sports Development, 114.

Amaize, O., Mady, T., & Benson, E. (2011). The Need for Academic Programs in Tourism, Arts & Culture, Sports, and Healthcare Management in the UAE. World Journal of Management, 3(1), 96-108.

Attride-Stirling, J. (2001). Thematic networks: an analytic tool for qualitative research. Qualitative research, 1(3), 385-405.

Diversity of International Sports Events

Major sporting events occur either once a year or after every four years. There are many sports activities in the world, including FIFA World Cup for soccer, World Cup for Rugby, and the Olympic Games; these are the most anticipated games, and they are played at an interval of four years (Tomlinson p.742). These games can also be categorized in other different ways. For instance, mega-events attract large crowds of people while also impacting the host environment and population. The reason why they are termed mega-events is that they comprise many different games and also attract huge audiences around the world. Mega events tend to be a collective of occasions, and their importance will vary depending on the people and culture following the proceedings. Special events are characterized by attracting worldwide visitors and improving the tourist sector. They have a significant economic impact and develop the image of the host country, and they also attract global attention. Hallmark events are events that take place in the exact location over and over again. Wimbledon Tennis Championship, Indianapolis 500, and London Marathon are examples of Hallmark events.

Some sports are connected to celebrations, festivals, and heritage. Festivals can be found when the stakeholders, for various reasons, need to minimize the competitive characteristics of an event ranging from small community youth-based events to mega-events like the Olympic Games. A sporting event can be termed as festive when the spectators food the streets to celebrate good results. For instance, after the Spanish team won the world cup, people lined themselves on the streets of Madrid. The parading is also an event (Eissa and Al Refai p.379). There is a broader way of classifying the sports events; they can either be indoor or outdoor depending on the venue. They could be professional or amateur subjects on the organizing committee. An event can either be for the spectators, participants, or both, and contingent on the scope, it can either be international, national, or regional. Finally, a sporting event can be a single, multisport, or festival sport where the youth hold a celebration involving many sporting activities.

Impact of the International Sporting events

Hosting international sports have both positive and negative impact on the host. They either impact the economic sector, environment, tourism industry, and also political sector. Sporting events raise the profile of the host city or country since there is an assurance of recognition. Recognition attracts tourists and major business investors. Preparing for the events comes with the benefit of long-term investments. This is because the host cities tend to improve their infrastructure and transport to cater to the visitors (Rothengatter p.30). The creation of jobs is another impact on the host because the several years of preparation have given many people employments, for example building new or renovating the existing stadiums. Sporting events also promote enthusiasm and short-lived economic benefits. The authority on the seat while hosting the also gains influence. It is a legacy that most political leaders wish to leave because of the prestigious gain. Citizens may also give the political leader a second chance to rule as a benefit for allowing the sports event.

Some negativities also come with hosting the events; for example, the preparation capital needed is high. New stadiums with bigger sizes need to be built, or renovation of the present arenas is mandatory. Some facilities are made, but they can only be helpful for the few weeks of the sporting event. Some countries have changed the Olympic facilities into affordable housing, but some which were unable to maintain the plan for the Olympic legacy have been left with enormous unused stadiums (Schnitzer and Haizinger p.442). Sporting activities can also be a tool for negative publicity. Because of the corruption and cost overturn Winter Olympics has received negative publicity. The poor state of the facilities in Delhi also received negative publicity during the Commonwealth games. Sports can lead to insecurity, and so higher levels of security have to be implemented. Citizen movement in these cities is usually restricted. Local businesses may fall because major adverts are always about the upcoming game.

The 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

These sports events happened in Rio de Janeiro from 5^th August to 21^st August 2016. It was the 28^th event to occur since the modern Olympic Games started on 6^th April 1896. That was the first occasion the Olympics were hosted in South America in the winter or summer. In 2009, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Rio over Madrid, Chicago, and Tokyo to host the event (Ichii p.107). This particular event had more major issues than any other Olympic games in history. Their preparations were costly, and everything ran behind schedule. Traveling in the crime-riddled city was a worry for the coaches, athletes, and tourists. Prominent golfers such as Rory Mcllroy and Jordan Spieth had to withdraw from the event due to the Zika Virus outbreak. The waterways in Rio were polluted and filled with sand. The World Health Organization suggested that the Athletes shower immediately after leaving the site and avoid swallowing the water while using it, while their mouths and any wounds or opening were to be covered.

Less than fifty days before the game started, the authorities in Rio de Janeiro announced an emergency situation in the country. This declaration gave the directions for sharing vital public services and allowed the state to utilize the national emergency funds. The event started on time despite all those hitches, though there were also minor anomalies in the two weeks period that the games were conducted. There were two hundred and five national participating committees with 11,000 participants competing in forty-two sports. New sports such as rugby sevens and golf were added (Tucker p.639). Rio also hosted some ten teams from the war-riddled nations, of which they had no permanent residence at the beginning of the competitions. These Olympics were also highlighted with the accomplishments of the famed sprinter from Jamaica, Usain Bolt, and America’s most outstanding swimmer Michael Phelps.

Rio offered the best environment for these games, with its superb and most beautiful cities being ranked among the best globally. The village layout was compact for supreme suitability, connected by a high-performance conveyance ring; the participation grounds were clustered in four locations. The four venues included Copacabana, Maracana, Deodoro, and Barra. Teams could reach all the locations in less than ten minutes, while others could not take more than twenty-five minutes. There were thirty-four competition sites; eight were permanently constructed, seven of them were to be demolished after the games, and the other nine were built as permanent legacy locations. The Rio Games have promoted and emphasized sport due to the spectacular setting of the city and its aspiration to elevate the games to higher levels (Beal p.98). In addition, Rio 2016 offered a chance to provide the country with more significant future opportunities – a chance to intensify Rio de Janeiro’s transition into an even larger international city.

Russia’s Steroid Scandal

The use of steroids in Russia has been a continuous behavior that has seen many Olympic champions banned from competing, and the occurrence has also denied Russia many medals. This is because more than two hundred Russian competitors have been found using Steroids (Remmel). Russia using steroids is different from other countries because the state is responsible for supplying the substance among its athletes. The World Anti-Doping Agency banned the country from participating in all events for four years due to systemic usage and attempts to hinder investigations by manipulating electronic data (Kavussanu, Hatzigeorgiadis, Elbe, and Ring p.197). The court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the ban to two years in 2020 owing to Russia’s petition.

Nonetheless, Russia is eligible to compete in intercontinental competitions underneath a neutral banner and title competitors. The IOC decided to re-examine the stored urine of Russian players of 2008 on 15^th March 2016. They decided to use sophisticated techniques to determine any foreign compounds that may not have been identified at the moment. They focused on specific countries and sports, including the pending participants in the Rio games.

Aside from the Olympics, Maria Sharapova, the tennis star, and Alexander Povetkin, the heavyweight boxer, both of Russia, also failed the Meldonium drug test in May of that year. Roman Eremeniko, their soccer player, also tested positive for steroids at the end of 2016. In 2015 out of the samples taken, 643 were found to be positive with steroids (Raspe p.50). The study committee also claimed that it was a small part of the overall inquiry because access to Russian documents was difficult. Athletics, swimming, canoeing, skiing, soccer, and rowing competitors contributed to the results.

Regarding these findings, the World Anti-Doping Code recommended the country be barred from competing in the Summer Olympics of 2016. On 21^st July 2016, sixty-eight Russian athletes and their Olympic Committee appealed the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sports, which denied the submission. The IOC voted to refuse accreditation to Russian sports department officials and all other bodies involved in the analysis for the 2016 Summer Olympics. They decided to begin a re-evaluation of Russian competitors at the Sochi Olympics and ask sporting partnerships to find alternative venues for the most significant events that had been assigned to Russia.

In October 2016, Vitally Mutko was appointed to the rank of Russian sports minister despite allegations that he had concealed a drug infringement. To curb this doping, in November, Russia approved a law against drugging that targeted the coaches (Plotkin and Gill p.637). Berlinger initiated new sample bottles for drugging, where someone claimed that Russians are always ahead of the cheating and that a system such as Russia’s cannot be avoided. Just like the social disgrace of any drug abuse, in Russia, there is a double stigma if one is discovered of using steroids; thus, people are afraid of being branded as drug addicts and cheaters. This has hindered the addicts from seeking assistance, making it challenging for the stakeholders to know where they should offer their support. McLaren reported that, following the cover-up by the Russian sports minister, many participants, including competitors in the summer and winter Olympics, benefited. This meant that the players used the drugs before going to competitions. Russia had no serviceable drug-testing intervention, thus making it impossible for them to be reinstated according to the IAAF task force.

Apart from affecting the health of the users, steroids also have a significant impact on the economy of the country. For example, when Russia was barred from competing in any sport, they forfeited all medals and money earned by their athletes. Stakeholders have found alternate venues for major sporting competitions other than Russia (Zagidullin p.714). The nation could not prosper from higher taxes, a short-term boost to the economy, or the growth of jobs. It is also a blemish for any government and country to be accused of drug use. Some heavyweight lifters were given the drugs without their consent; competitors finding out about them being given drugs without their permission would lead them to question their trust in their coaches (Remmel). Lack of confidence in their trainers would make most players pull back and stop playing in fear of their health. Lack of players affects a country’s participation in competitions.

Russia was banned from participating in competitions, meaning that some honest players were also be affected by the policy. Some athletics being their primary source of income, meaning that they had to look for other alternatives, which caused most of them to struggle and eventually lose hope. Some people believe that creating associations and agencies to deal with drug abuse is a waste of time. Such services should be put to better use in ways that benefit the economy. The use of these medications causes reproductive problems, which has an economic effect. The government risks losing resources by attempting to treat anything that should have been avoided. Looking for potential hosts for a sporting event is just another example of resources being wasted on something that can be regulated if stakeholders in both athletics and the state as a whole work together to reduce substance use in Russia.

Stakeholders and their Roles

Stakeholders are individuals whose actions, attitudes, and support influences the success of sports teams. Sport organizations use stakeholder analysis to plan on communication programs for team members. Participants are the essential stakeholders in sports because, without them, other investors will have no role. Unprofessional players have a high concentration in the clubs, teams, and trainers’ willingness to support them in attaining their objectives (Singh p.23). Skilled players depend on their clubs’ financial performance to give them generous incentives for their activities. Troupes and competitors at all phases look to a well-regulated sport to offer them chances to play professionally, particularly in contact sports, while also being assured of proper medical attention in case of injuries. The games governing bodies and organizations all aim to attract new entrants to their sports or teams. The American Board on Workout, for instance, acknowledges and promotes sport’s physical and social benefits.

Audiences, even though they play minor roles, have an impact on the financial performance of every team. Clubs involved in various sports want their games to be watched by a large number of people. Clubs will also generate revenue from sponsors through permit and event purchases, tickets, team produce sales, and membership donations (Popp, Harrolle, and Wells p.170). Teams build affiliations with fans by broadcasting grades, hosting engagement events where fans can see players, and facilitating conversation on the team’s website. Fans also boost the morale of the players as they play by cheering and inspiring them to succeed. The governance is also important since it standardizes the events of the players, other sponsors such as coaches and attendees.

Governing bodies establish and review competition laws, and they also have a regulatory structure in place to manage clubs and other sporting organizations. Governing bodies will petition politicians on behalf of associations to secure financial support for their sport, as well as discuss media rights and sponsorship deals (Batty and Gee p.170). Sporting teams from unions, ruling parties, and associations with prominent people must collect funds and find other means to finance their organizations.

Professional athletes look to sports clubs for commercial sponsorship or endowment capital to help pay for their training, coaching, and other expenses. To generate income, teams form alliances with potential owners or stockholders. They also seek marketable sponsorship or partnerships with game presenters in order to boost revenue. Members of a party affect sport in a multitude of ways. Teams aim to recruit members of the community to participate as attendees, spectators, and volunteers (The Exhibition p.32). They promote relationships by spreading information to the public, organizing events for parents, schools, and stakeholders, and taking part in community advancement. The municipal government is a significant patron for clubs that are planning new sports services or big events, particularly if they are in secluded areas. For example, a large-scale highway activity may cause movement congestion in a neighborhood, while a proposed new pitch in a residential area can cause space problems, unwelcome sound, and other forms of irritation. Communities are also the primary source for all stakeholders, with the participants included.

Contemporary Issues in International Sports Management

The inability of stakeholders to predict the future is a major problem and a contemporary issue among the management of international sports. The world is constantly changing, and as a result, the sports industry faces the challenge of predicting the next major occurrence or concept that will captivate the audience (Pradhan p.20). When one combines this problem with technological advancements, it is evident that specific sports teams and stadiums will still be at odds. For example, a venue can catch up with the times only to discover that some new and different development has emerged and one that will need adjustments. Although it is virtually impossible to predict the future, the sports industry will find it worthwhile to research patterns and try to predict what will be expected in the coming days (Sun and Gloor p.17). Though that is a problem, technology has helped solve most of the issues.

Through technology, weather can be predicted so that plans can be made accordingly. In the Beijing Olympics, they broke the clouds that seemed to possess rain in them, another way technology is helping in weather. Through technology, there are improved stadiums and other sports venues (Inoue, Matsuoka, Yoshida, and Kuramasu p.55). Carpeted grounds for athletes and footballers will reduce the chances of them getting hurt. Improved viewing experiences while at the venue and at home too. Improved cameras for broadcasting and screens located everywhere in the field so that those strategically positioned can also view. Technology has aided in coaching and diet; circumnavigating a track and carrying masses is no longer the main way to reduce the weight in our body sessions (Bodewits). The decent people at GNC and other traders have made exercises more actual and fruitful. Coaching amenities have also started opening up all over the nation, giving efficient technology in exploiting one’s talents through hard work and distinctive coaching techniques.

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Introduction

The Olympics scheduled to take place in 2016 in Brazil is one of the most important events to this country. It took a lot of effort for the country to win the favor of the organizers and be considered as the best country to host the event. The country stands to gain a lot from the event (Akhter, 2008). The infrastructure of the country will be improved, the tourism sector is expected to boom beyond any other season in the country’s history. The country will also be positively sold to the world as a nation that has the capacity to not only support tourism, but also foreign investments (Blackshaw & Siekmann, 2005). It is therefore justified to see the government of the country making every effort to ensure that everything is put under control.

They are making every effort to ensure that the infrastructure is improved and various institutions and accommodation places are expanded to support the expected number of visitors. Besides the obvious benefits that this country stands to gain, there is a course of worry as far as the rights and freedom of some of the locals are concerned (Blackshaw, 2006). If the events preceding the 2012 London Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics are anything to go by, then there is a serious problem that Brazilians may face, especially those living in the informal settlements. In Beijing, families were eliminated from the streets, without any concern of where they were taken.

The government gave the excuse that it was cleaning the city in readiness for the Olympics. As the world celebrated the Olympics, some Chinese families were rendered homeless, suffering in the cold with nothing to celebrate over. When the event was taken to London, the same practice was seen, and many families were eliminated from the streets. Suspects, especially the Muslim faithful were arrested as a way of ensuring that the city was to be made as safe as possibly. As the world watched the Olympics from various corners with lots of joy, some innocent people were locked up, while others were pushed to the rural set-ups as a way of making the city clean and ready to support the Olympics.

The Olympics scheduled for 2016 in Brazil is a blessing to this country. The government is justified to ensure that all the facilities are well tuned in readiness for the big day (Anderson, 2004). However, it should be observed that every citizen has a right. The world respects rights and freedom of every single individual. There are conventions that specifically demand that every individual must be treated with decorum, and that there are no second class individuals. Searle (2003) explains that every country has the responsibility of ensuring that they observe the rights of their citizen. The law must always be upheld at all times, and it is important to note that there is no law that is meant for the poor and that for the rich. The law that gives power to the government is the same law that protects the citizens (Regis & Gary, 2010). The government should therefore not justify any act that may involve denying the citizens their rights or freedom (Regis, 2010). This paper seeks to analyze the abuse of government powers during such important events like the Olympics, with the focus on the Brazilian Olympics scheduled for 2016.

Legal Background

Brazil is preparing for the 2016 Olympics, popularly known as the Reo 2016. The nation is waiting for this big event and every single Brazilian is looking forward to this big event in their country. Although the government has the responsibility of ensuring that all the preparations are made in time, all other citizens feel that they have a role to play in ensuring that this event is a success (Richard, 2002). Therefore, it would be right to state that every citizen feels responsible in the preparation for the event.

There is a trend taken by the government which is a little worrying.

It is in the interest of every citizen that the event turns out successful. It is also in the interest of the citizens that security is maintained all through the event (Cashman & Anthony, 1999). The government therefore has the mandate of the citizens to ensure that the country is secure from any attack. They have the powers to ensure that they deter any aggression that may come from terror groups, or any other unlawful organizations (Searle, 2002). However, in so doing, it is important to observe that the law should not be bent against others, to favor others. Cashman and Anthony (1999a) advise that government security agencies should not break the law in the process of enhancing security. The strategy that was taken by the English government of arresting all the suspects is not only unethical, but highly retrogressive and highly unlawful. The government of Brazil has the legal authority to arrest suspects and arraign them in court with sufficient evidence to prove that the suspect is guilty. However, it does not have the right to detain them without substantial evidence, just to restrict their movement during the event, as a way of making the country safe. This is denial of the freedom of movement, the right to fair trial, and freedom from discrimination (Booth & Colin, 1994).

The Brazilian government has also made it clear that families living in informal settlements within the city may have to be moved to other regions outside the city. This move rekindles the move taken by the Chinese government of eliminating all the street families and people in the informal settlements from the city. The government of China was unable to offer them alternative settlement. The Brazilian government cannot convince the world, especially Human Rights bodies that are concerned about their actions, that they will resettle these families. It is an open secret that the government is channeling all the available resources to improving the infrastructure of the country. They are making every effort to ensure that various facilities, especially the hospitality sector, are expanded to accommodate the expected masses. The funds to facilitate settlement of the evictees is not available, and most certainly these individuals will be left in the streets. Just like some of the Chinese were rendered homeless in 2008, some of the families in Brazil stand to face a similar face.

This issue is very controversial and as such, various legal scholars have developed interest in this issue. The Olympics will not end in 2016 in Brazil. Various other countries will host the event afterwards. Of concern is that this event gives governments power to misuse their power and frustrate a section of the citizens (Proulx, 2011). This is an abuse of power and legal scholars have developed interest in understanding the motivation of various governments to act in this manner, and the legality of their actions. Legal scholars have the interest of ensuring that they defend the rights of the weak. They may not be in a position to speak for themselves because of their low status in the society. No one seems to care for them and therefore, they are left to fight against a government that has very strong machinery. They lost the fight in China, with devastating results to them.

The world thought that there will never be a repeat of that. Four years later, it happened in England, and the world thought it was a mistake. The preparations at Reo, Brazil show that this is the exact trend that will take place. If not arrested now, various legal scholars strongly believe that the event will be used by various governments to abuse power and suppress the citizens. The world has come out strongly to condemn any form of misuse of power by the governments (Powell, 2010). There should therefore be no legal loophole through which any government would be justified to act in contravention to laid laws. These loopholes are what these legal scholars seek to eliminate. The scholars seek to address these issues in order to free the world from any form of tyranny. This was the motivation of the researcher to venture into this field of study.

The Importance of the Topic

This topic is very important. The government has a role to protect all its citizens irrespective of their social standings or backgrounds. The government is expected to be rational in all its actions and it is expected of it to act having in mind the interest of the public. When such a government turns a blind eye to the plight of its populace, there emerges a great cause of concern (Rodgers & Maryanne, 2003). Such is the case with Brazil. The Brazilian government is giving priority to the financial benefits that they stand to gain from the Olympics at the expense of the interest of its citizens. This topic seeks to address the injustices of the Brazilian government with the aim of bringing the government to terms with the truth. This topic is also meant to create awareness to the world of the suffering that people of this country face. The main aim is to ensure that the Brazilian government considers resettling its citizens whom they think are residing in areas that are not reserve lands. All the citizens have right to basic needs. They should not be treated as in a manner likely to indicate that the government does not care for them (Paul et al, 1987).

Controversial Issues on the Topic

According to Christopher and Nuria (2002), in 1999, the Brazilian police arrested 173 people, without proper cause, and detained them for a long period. In 2001, the police again arrested about 130 people during a forced eviction, and the individuals were detained for some time. In May 2000, Brazilian police used excessive force to evict 2000 families from their residence at Sao Paulo. The families were forced to construct plastic houses in a slum nearby. On July 2000, the police once again used force to evict landless peasant workers in a number of rural settlements.

The Brazilian police once again made the same move to evict poor landless people at Santa Maria and Jacutinga estates, which left about 200 families homeless. In November the same year, the Brazilian police used excessive force to evict about 400 landless individuals at Agua da Prata. Sebatiao da Maria was killed in this operation. In November 2002, 5000 landless Brazilians were evicted by the Governor of Sao Paulo State from the Osasco City where they had been squatting. On December 10, 2002, about 2200 people were evicted from the settlement of Carlos Lamarca; on a day that coincided with the International Human Rights Day.

The list of similar atrocities is endless. It is categorically clear that the police in this country have been using force to when evicting these individuals. The controversy comes in the fact that these Brazilians were rendered landless by crude tactics of some of the tycoons in this country, some of whom are foreigners who have come to invest in the country. These rich but dubious individuals managed to convince the peasant farmers to sell their land at very cheap prices (IOC, 1999). When this was happening, the government, through its various agencies which facilitated the transactions, encouraged the trend. They encouraged the trend because they facilitated the transaction. These Brazilians were finally left landless. The landowners, based on the guilt that they had purchased all the land for the peasants and left them landless, offered them an opportunity to squat in their settlements (Owen, 2001). However, after a short time, they started eliminating them.

The government then considered offering them settlements and allowed them to construct informal settlements that gave rise to various slums. However, all signs show that the government is also tired of them and is evicting them from various informal settlements they had come to call home. The eviction is not voluntary. The government is using its machinery to forcefully evict the landless Brazilians from various informal settlements (Moragas & Miquel, 1995). The force is too much, that in some cases have resulted in death of some of the evictees. These are Brazilians, not Americans or Iranians. Evicting them from their settlements and failing to offer them alternative settlements is like condemning them to death. They have no place to live; their ancestral lands have been taken away. Those whose ancestors came to this country have known no homes but Brazil, for they were born and brought up here (Lenskyj & Jefferson, 1992). They are left stranded, having been declared personas non-grata by the body that should have defended them, the body they look forward to receiving support from, the government of the people of Brazil.

Steps Taken to Resolve the Issue

The steps that have been taken by the government to end this strife are very minimal. Various politicians have promised the squatters proper settlements only to turn against them once in power (Moragas, Christopher & Nuria, 2003). The efforts that have bore positive results have come from various Human Rights groups and other non-governmental organizations. They have come out strongly to pint out the fact that government is not committed to finding lasting solution to the landless Brazilians (Cashman & Cashman, 2000). Instead, it has used force to frustrate these powerless citizens by evicting them from one location to another. Actions of the Human Rights Groups have made the government consider finding solutions to these landless individuals.

The Challenges

The biggest challenge that these organizations face is lack of political goodwill. Politicians make a lot of promises during the campaign periods, only to disown their promises immediately after taking power (John & Margaret, 2011). By promising these individuals resettlement, it is a fact that these politicians appreciate that there is a problem that should be addressed (Kidd, 1992). Why then should they change once in power? Why should they turn against the people who vote them into their offices? They make the major challenge to addressing this issue.

The current Status of Controversy

The action of the government in the past one decade has clearly demonstrated that the government is keen on eliminating the landless Brazilians. Efforts have been made to evict these peasants using top of the range government machinery. Releasing the military officers to evict unarmed civilians from settlements they have called home is a heinous act that warrants a lot of condemnation (Cahill, 1999). The training of the military officers is not meant to manage the crowd, but to cause total physical harm, and possibly death, for they are meant to protect the nation from external aggression. The fear is that if the government could act this way then when there was no clear reason of doing so, what move will it make now with the coming of Olympics. The government will have the opportunity to further crack their whips on these powerless individuals by evicting them from their various settlements (Lenskyj, 2000).

The government will justify its actions by pointing fingers at the move taken by Landon and Beijing officials to evict people from the streets. Cashman and Anthony (1998) note that England is one of the leading democracies in the world. It is one of the countries that currently uphold Human Rights to all the residents of its land. If this democracy eliminated people living in slums during the summer Olympics, Brazilian government will more than ever, feel that their action is justified.

This is a clear demonstration that the government is still harboring its controversial intention of eliminating the landless Brazilians from various settlements (Lenskyj, 2002). There is therefore needed to make the government come to terms with the fact that these landless individuals are Brazilians and they have to be settled in this region (Carlin, 2009). Any move contrary to this will only illicit instability as the individuals may consider reacting to government’s aggression. This peace-loving nation can easily be transformed to a lawless country, and if care is not taken, the Olympics may not take place because of such unrest.

Conclusion

The 2016 Rio Olympics comes with a lot of benefits to the nation. The country will have its infrastructure improved, besides the fact the country will be sold as one of the best tourist destinations in the world. The country will therefore try to create the best image of itself to the world. It would try to boost security, besides trying to clean up the city and its environs. It is a fact that the street urchins and other homeless city dwellers may be a bad image of the country to the world. The government would therefore be justified to ensure that these individuals are resettled. Their elimination from the streets would also enhance security during the Olympic event. However, the government has the responsibility to take care of them. The government should offer them alternative settlement. Above all, the government has no right to use physical force in eliminating them from the current settlements.

References

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Anderson, P. (2004). Research Methods in Human Resource Management. London: Chartered institute of Personell Management.

Blackshaw, I. & Siekmann, R. (2005). Sports Image Rights in Europe.’ Hague: TMC Asser Press.

Blackshaw, N. (2006). In ‘Sports Law. London: Cavendish Publishing.

Booth, D. & Colin, T. (1994). “Swimming with the big boys”. Sporting traditions. vol. 11, no. 1, Nov., p. 3-23.

Cahill, J. (1999). Running towards Sydney 2000: the Olympic flame & torch. Sydney: Walla Walla Press.

Carlin, M. (2009). Cross-cultural e-commerce design guidelines for American and Chinese College student populations: Results from an empirical comparative study. University of Maryland.

Cashman, G. & Cashman, R. (2000). Red, black and gold: Sydney aboriginal people and the Olympic Games. Sydney: Centre for Olympic Studies.

Cashman, R. & Anthony, H. (1998). The Green Games: a golden opportunity. Sydney: Centre for Olympic Studies.

Cashman, R. & Anthony, H. (1999). Staging the Olympics: the event and its impact. Sydney: UNSW Press.

Cashman, R. & Anthony, H. (1999a), Mosman Council: Forum on the Impacts of the Olympics. Sydney: Centre for Olympic Studies.

Christopher, K. & Nuria, P. (2002).The Legacy of the Olympic Games 1984-2002: International Symposium, Lausanne, 14th, 15th and 16th November 2002. Lausanne : International Olympic Committee.

IOC. (1999). Olympic Movement’s Agenda 21. Lausanne: International Olympic Committee, Sport and Environment Commission.

John, R. & Margaret, M. (2011). Olympic Cities: City Agendas, Planning and the World’s Games 1896-2016. New York: Taylor & Francis.

Kidd, B. (1992). The Toronto Olympic Movement: towards a social contract for the Olympic Games. Proceedings: First International Symposium for Olympic Research. (23)3 p. 67–77.

Lenskyj, H. & Jefferson, P. (1992). More than Games: community involvement in the Toronto bid for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Proceedings: First International Symposium for Olympic Research. Ontario: University of Western Ontario.

Lenskyj, H. (2000). Inside the Olympic industry: power, politics and activism. Albany: State University of New York.

Lenskyj, H. (2002). The best Olympics ever? Social impacts of Sydney 2000. Albany: SUNY Press.

Moragas, M. & Miquel, B. (1995). The keys to success: the social, sporting, economic and communications impact of Barcelona’92. Barcelona: Centre d’Estudis Olímpics i de l’Esport.

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Paul, C. et al (1987). Police abuse in Brazil: summary executions and torture in Sao Paulo and Reo de Janeiro. Reo de Janeiro: Springer.

Powell, G. (2010). Women and men in management. London: SAGE.

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Richard, C. (2002). Impact of the Games on Olympic host cities. Centre d’Estudis Olímpics (UAB) International Chair in Olympism (IOC-UAB).

Rodgers, S. & Maryanne, H. (2003). Gender and E-commerce: An exploratory study. Journal of Advertising Research, 43, 322-329.

Searle, G. (2002). Uncertain legacy: Sydney’s Olympic stadiums. European planning studies, (10)7, p. 845–60.

Searle, G. (2003). The urban legacy of Sydney’s Olympic Games. Lausanne: International Olympic Committee, Sport and Environment Commission.

• The Summer Olympics filled with jubilation both to the host country and the incoming visitors (Olympic Games 1992).
• Visiting of memorable places by both local and foreign tourists.
• Foreign exchange injected into Barcelonan economy.
• Services like accommodation, boarding, lodging, intra-city transportation, tour guiding and health offered (Pattie 2004).

• The City’s infrastructural set up greatly improved.
• Attracted both the local and overseas population.
• Business activities like hotel industry, tour agencies and real estate thrived (Brown 2006).
• Improved standards of living.
• Better housing and health facilities due to increased income.
• Barcelona grew in popularity in Europe apart from Rome, Paris and London (Organization 1992).

• After nomination to host the 1992 Summer Olympics, the preparation for the oncoming international games began in earnest (Anon.1992, Summer Olympics 2004).
• The City connected to the Sea by two major constructions namely a Village and a Port.
• Both were meant to facilitate the smooth coordination of the games.
• Sports centres were constructed in Diagonal and also in other locations.
• Another remarkable feature was the Barcelonan ring roads built within the city to ease movement of people and automobiles (Fred 2007).

• No boycotts like the previous years.
• Attributed to significant changes in world politics (Brown 2006).
• The abolition of apartheid in South Africa was an important political event.
• The country could prepare itself for the Olympics in an atmosphere free of racial segregation (Olympics Information 2001).

• The legendary Olympic flame pot lit by Antonio Rebollo.
• Paula Sant Jordi venue was prepared for baseball and volleyball last rounds while Estadi Olympic de montjuiic was reserved for both the preliminaries and closing Events (Erich1999).
• Barcelona chosen in favour of Belgrade, Amsterdam and Paris (Olympic Games 1992).
• Sants Montjuiic zone was preserved for gymnastics and fencing games.
• The preparation highly favored by brilliant summer weather.
• Attracted greater audience who attended both as fans and tourists (Kimmage 2004).

• The Summer Olympics left remarkable impacts on the city and its occupants.
• Rapid urbanization.
• Multi-million investments on social amenities like the construction of modern hotels.
• A contemporary airport called El Prat constructed in Barcelona, improved standard and quality of life.
• Improved city appearance which attracted tourism.

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Fred C (2007). A wider social role for sport: who’s keeping the score?, London: Routledge.

Kimmage K P (2004). Five rings and the shamrock : a series of features about the Olympic Council of Ireland. Dissertation (MA in Journalism) – Dublin City University.

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Pattie R (2004). Adapted games & activities: from tag to team building, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

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The games between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have always been among the most entertaining events during MLB season due to the historic rivalry between two teams. While both teams employ similar incentivization tactics, there are some notable differences in their priorities. This paper aims to provide an analysis of the tactics used by these teams in their promotional campaigns to determine whether they lean towards the use of price-based or non-price-based incentives.

Red Sox and New York Yankees offer special discounts and passes for different social groups. Red Sox offer cheap tickets for students, and Yankees fans can purchase a student pass, which allows members to receive special offers and discounts as well. Compared to Red Sox, Yankees offer more price-based incentives, such as discounted tickets for Military and First Responders and Ballpark pass. They also offer giveaways at special events such as Healthcare and First Responders nights. Boyd and Krehbiel (2006) note that correctly determining the current trends is extremely important for the success of giveaway campaigns, and marketers at Yankees certainly follow this advice.

Both teams actively use official websites and social media to communicate with consumers. Involvement with special causes is one notable example of a non-price-based incentivization tactic used by both teams. According to Twitter accounts of Yankees and Red Sox, they send presents to children in underserved communities and children victims of commercial sexual exploitation, respectively. Irwin et al. (2008) note that cause-related marketing is an effective promotional tool.

Red Sox also use Twitter for more direct communication with fans, making short custom videos for them upon request as a part of their #GiftOfSox promotional campaign. Green (2016) states that such forms of engagement help increase consumer trust and the team’s market image. Overall, the incentivization tactics of Yankees and Red Sox are fairly balanced, with the former offering more price-based incentives compared to their competitors.

References

Boyd, T. C., & Krehbiel, T. C. (2006). An analysis of the effects of specific promotion types on attendance at Major League Baseball games. American Journal of Business, 21(2), 21-32. Web.

Green, M.R. (2016). The impact of social networks in the development of a personal sports brand. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, 6(3), 274-294. Web.

Irwin, R. L., Sutton, W.A., n McCarty, L. M. (2008). Sport promotion and sales management. Human Kinetics.

Executive Summary

The present-day educational system faces the problem of the increased frequency of recruiting violations and academic fraud committed by athletic departments and coaches for supporting their athletes and improving their performance. For the purpose of improving their chances of winning the tournaments, a lot of universities may want to circumvent the regular admission process and recruit unqualified athletes. The academic fraud continues after the admission when coaches do the homework for their athletes, and the school officials fix their grades and arrange somebody to type the materials for the athletes.

College Baseball Advisers Inc. which offers to enhance the player’s scholarship prospects may be involved in one of the recruiting violation patterns. On the other hand, it may be an opportunity for exploring the existing opportunities and selecting the most appropriate admission option for the high school player. The choice between the opportunities of receiving the highly desirable athlete scholarship and achieving good academic results can become a real ethical dilemma for the high school students and their parents.

The dilemma of academic fraud was faced by Sam, a top graduate student who decided to make up data for his survey instead of conducting a survey due to his personal circumstances. The desire of accelerating the research process through fabricating the necessary data was explained with the intention to graduate when his brother was alive. James, Sam’s older brother had cancer and was not expected to survive Christmas. Though Sam’s feelings can be understood and empathized with, they cannot be regarded as sufficient excuse for cheating because Sam had alternative ways for meeting the deadline, such as working day and night as he pretended to, for example. Thus, regardless of the initial motivation and the underlying causes, there is a common tendency towards the increased frequency of recruiting and other academic violations in athletic departments.

Apparent Problem

The high school player has a problem of deciding between using the services of College Baseball Advisers Inc. for receiving the athletic scholarship with the rest of the attributed advantages and following the fair enrollment rules which would reduce the chances for receiving the desirable scholarship significantly. As to Sam’s advisor Dr. Milton who suspects Sam of academic fraud, it is stated that the tutor has the ethical dilemma of unveiling the truth which can result in her student’s failure or covering his academic fraud.

Analysis

The peculiar position and advantages provided by the universities for their athlete students have predetermined not only ethical debates but also certain legislative measures. On the one hand, athletic performance contributes to the prestige of the institution. On the other hand, the students’ academic achievements should remain the primary concern of universities.

Going to extremes, some schools have made the attendance, exam and even the choice of major optional for their athlete students because sport is their only concern (Finley and Finley, 2006, p. 82). Moreover, the desire of the sports departments and other interest groups to succeed was so intense that they developed perfect patterns of recruiting and academic fraud. The tension grew so high that when Bensel-Meyers, the educator from the University of Tennessee wanted to investigate the case of 39 athlete students which she regarded as academically suspect, she received death threats (Finley, Finley & Fountain, 2008, p. 107). These examples clearly demonstrate that the stakes in the sphere of recruiting violations and academic fraud by sports departments are extremely high.

Real Problem

Success in athletic programs can be translated into millions of dollars and enormous prestige for the university, its coaches, alumni and fans. It can predetermine the aggressive athlete students recruiting programs adopted by some of the institutions. In this highly competitive environment, some universities want to succeed by all means and cannot resist the temptation of circumventing and violating the rules.

Whereas instances of cheating can have personal underlying causes, as it was in Sam’s case, the personal acceptance of academic fraud to a certain extent depends upon culture and environment (Rettinger & Kramer 2007). The main focus of this case is not on Sam’s decision to fabricate the necessary data though he could have chosen the alternative options, but rather on the decision of his tutor. Making the academic fraud patterns and extra benefits for athlete students their common practices, universities increase the acceptance of cheating which can become taken for granted within particular surroundings.

Recognizing this problem, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) imposed sanctions aimed at eliminating the extra benefits for players and the corresponding cheating programs. However, these sanctions had certain negative implications for innocent students, restricting their ability to transfer from one institution to another, for example (Weston, 2011, p. 551). For this reason, more effective alternatives need to be taken into consideration for handling the discussed problems of recruiting and academic frauds in sports departments and controlling the university programs without violating the rights of the uninvolved athlete students.

Alternatives

The NCAA and universities have a few options for resolving this ethical dilemma. First, it is possible to consider the option of making the coaches and school officials financially accountable for violating the NCAA sanctions and the program violations. It is important to hire coaches who will be able to become the models of ethical behavior and foster the culture of compliance within the institutions (Weston 2011). This approach has certain advantages. Thus, the financial accountability could become an important motivating factor for enhancing the feeling of responsibility in mentors. Moreover, it would allow putting the burden to the school officials and coaches as frequently the most important players and decision makers in the fraud systems of sports departments.

Another option is conducting the academic evaluation prior to enrollment of the student athletes for the purpose of developing the individual academic plans to them and providing them with the necessary academic support (Advising student athletes commission). The academic plans of student athletes really deserve serious consideration for preventing the overload which can be caused by the excessive physical activity. Still, providing the extra-benefits and developing the cheating strategies is not a way out because these strategies deprive these students of opportunities for developing their academic competencies. Mapping the student’s academic program beforehand and taking into account the level of physical load and the academic needs for creating a complex academic plan which would provide students with not only healthy sport experience, but also opportunities for developing their academic skills and competencies and contributing to their better tomorrow. Though this approach has certain limitations, namely the students’ uncertainty about their major during the recruiting period and the time limits for the admission procedures which would not allow devoting much time to developing the academic plans, still, this alternative could be effective for improving the current practices.

Recommendations

The recommendation is that the NCAA and universities should adopt the second alternative and introduce the practices of conducting academic evaluation prior to the students’ enrollment and developing the individual academic plans for them so that to provide them with opportunities for developing the necessary academic skills and competencies. As opposed to the sanctions which have already been imposed by the NCAA, this approach would allow controlling the sports departments and their compliance with the rules without violating the rights of the non-involved student athletes.

Regarding the first option of making the coaches and the school officials financially accountable for any instances of violations, this approach can enhance the mentors’ motivation for complying with the rules but has certain limitations. Putting the main responsibility upon the big players of the cheating patterns within the athletic departments of educational institutions would not allow solving the problem of controlling the load for student athletes. The development of individual academic plans during the recruiting processes and providing the students with the necessary academic support would imply the acknowledgement of the problem and allow the NCAA and universities to adopt a wise strategy to improving the current practices and solving the existing problem.

Taking this approach would limit the opportunities of such companies as College Baseball Advisers Inc. which is inclined to make business by taking advantages from the extremely competitive environment and the existing gaps in the intercollegiate athletic programs and the drawbacks of the universities recruiting practices. Moreover, the ethical dilemma of unveiling Sam’s fraud would be resolved as well.

Reference List

Advising student athletes commission: Additional NCAA Division I Academic Reform Initiatives. Academic Support Discussion Document. The National Academic Advising Association Website, 2004. Web.

Finley, P. & Finley, L. (2006). The sports industry’s war on athletes. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Finley, P., Finley, L. & Fountain, J. (2008). Sports scandals. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Press.

Rettinger, D. & Kramer, Y. (2007). Situational and personal causes of student cheating. Research in Higher Education, 50 (3): 293-313.

Weston, M. (2011). NCAA sanctions: Assigning blame where it belongs. Boston College Law Review, 52(2): 551 – 583.

Reaction time is the most important issue of the hockey goalies’ professional skills. Having the most challenging occupation, they should provide a good reaction time in order to get better results among the colleagues. A successful hockey performance requires a good reaction and an outstanding motor ability. Although it is obvious that reaction time is the basic characteristic of the goalies, the experienced goalies may not have more skills than the novices due to the inborn indices of all sportsmen.

According to Mori, Ohtani, and Imanaka (2002), skills are the important types of perceptual processing, and “expert sports players are superior to novices in perceptual skills” (p. 214). Being more competent, the expert goalies provide more efficient performance due to an ability to recognize the particular elements and take advantage of the situation. Besides, they demonstrate a better understanding of the technique and body characteristics of the opponents. However, the most important skill that helps the professional goalie to provide better results is the ability to move fast and to repel the pucks. However, in most situations, reaction time is an inborn skill that can be improved while the years of training. Obviously, the years of practice develop the skills. As the result, the experienced goalies provide automatic movements without thinking (Hutchison, 2009). In this case, the process of decision-making that makes the reaction slow is replaced by the momentary reaction. Within the hockey performance, such replacement helps to make the game more interesting and the goal moments sharp. Therefore, the experts have better results of the pucks’ repulse. According to the article “Science of Hockey: Goalie Reaction Time”, speed of the puck can exceed 100 mph (160 km per hour) and, during the game, goalies can lose from 5 to 7 pounds of the bodyweight (“Science of Hockey: Goalie Reaction Time”). As we can notice, goalies have to move all the time and demonstrate an outstanding reaction during the game in order to catch an excessively fast puck.

Haché (2002) says that reaction time is one of the most important issues that impact hockey players (p. 12). Obviously, the supreme influence of speed determines the experienced players and novices. It is the favorite moment among the fans to observe the reaction of the goalies that save the gates, flailing the pucks. The goalies’ response to the slap-shots, scores, or repulses is the key element of the game which is very popular among the fans. This unique quality is basic for every goalie. Therefore, it is impossible to imagine a team with a player without a good reaction time. From the beginning, only good-skilled people can think about such a career. Later, developing the inborn skills, the experienced players become worldwide famous heroes. A memory function helps to develop genetic qualities. Therefore, the reaction time of the hockey goalie depends on both inborn factors and training.

As the fastest game on the planet, hockey requires an outstanding reaction time. The goalie’s movement helps to make the game breathtaking and thrilling. Obviously, reaction time as the basic characteristic of the goalies provides great results. However, it would be wrong to insist that experienced players always provide better results than novices. Reaction time is an inborn skill that can be improved by pieces of training. Therefore, even the young goalies can demonstrate a good reaction.

Reference List

Haché, A. (2002). The physics of hockey. US: JHU Press.

Hutchison, D. (2009). Reaction Time in Goaltending. The Goalie Magazine. Web.

Mori, S., Ohtani, Y. & Imanaka, K. (2002). Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Human Movement Science, 21, 213–230. Web.

Science of Hockey: Goalie Reaction Time. (n.d.). Exploratorium. Web.

Power is described as the skill of getting things done by other persons. It is also described as an effortless means of accomplishing tasks in the manner that you wanted them to be conducted. Power cannot be contained in isolation as it is made up of connections between two or more people. It is also important to note that it can be in the presence or absence of authority. This is shown by a good example whereby a criminal may have power with the help of arms but may still lack authority. Whereas power and authority are used interchangeably, authority can be defined as the legitimacy to apply power over others.

The power within sports organizations is not obviously tangible. Inherently there have been different perceptions regarding the role of organizational and individual positions within sports bodies. The widely held opinion is that hierarchical positions in sports organizations directly translate to influential control over those bodies. Apparently, this has not been the case as evidenced by numerous examples in the text (Slack, 2008). Leaders of sports organizations have frequently experienced resistance in the running of sports organizations. The capability of leaders within the sports fraternity to commit others to tasks has been seriously undermined. Power in sports organizations often faces problems and resistance through the formation of parallel bodies and groups. Perceived power also is seen to be personalized hence negating the real definition of power.

Real-world examples of people who hold power but lack authority within sports organizations are owners of professional sports teams. These owners are able to impose reward power, which is defined as the power gained from their control over other individuals’ rewards. This power is further magnified by increasing the amount or importance of the reward. This means that the larger the reward awarded to the recipient, the more power that the person stands to enjoy. This type of reward is not only limited to owners of a sports team but also applies to coaches of sports teams, presidents and chairmen of certain sports organizations (Slack, 2008).

Other examples include sports regulation bodies that are mandated to punish sports offenders such as those who engage in practices that go against the ethics of sports e.g. doping acts. Their power is gained from resentment to the body. This power is defined as coercive power. Punishment in this case acts as a great motivator for people or sportsmen to act. The next example of power is known as referent power which is founded on the basis of individuality and personality. Such type of power is mostly wielded by coaches of certain teams. Coaches have been known to be able to infuse a positive spirit in their players to the extent of influencing how their players play. Another example of power without authority is known as expert power which is gained by the person’s ability to utilize inherent knowledge or skill to influence others or existing systems. Such individuals do not need to be part of the hierarchy within the sports organization but may influence the way in which sports is managed within the organizational body. An information technology analyst may not be relatively powerful but their influence and power may be manifested through their knowledge on how to run tasks.

Reference

Slack, T. (2008). Power and Politics in Sport Organization. London: Oxford Publishers.

The sources of power in this case

The real sources of power, in this case, were the owners of the teams i.e. Dallas Cowboys (Tex Schramm) and the owner of L.A Rams in conjunction with Rozelle. The three influential persons were key in pressuring the feuding camps into coming to amicable agreements. The three persons also held the authority in discussions regarding the NFL and AFL merger.

How did power issues affect the NFL-AFL merger process?

Power issues affected both the NFL and AFL as both parties spent a lot of time and money trying to woo college players to play in their leagues. The power issues also affected the credibility of both leagues as the power wrangles continued. In order to woo the players, both leagues engaged in all sorts of tactics that even seemed unethical in order to get players to play in the leagues. Such tactics involved buying players expensive cars and babysitting them to the extent that they limited the communication between them and their parents and next of kin. All this continued to happen as profits from American football increased. The rivalry between the NFL and AFL leagues resulted in increase in players salaries in both leagues and which in turn affected the mentioned leagues financially.

The NFL viewed AFL league as an inferior one when it was formed, but the AFL teams started stealing college players from NFL and this grabbed headlines in various newspapers in the United States (Slack, 2008).

Examples of how personal and organizational power can assist or hurt goal achievement, in this case the NFL-AFL merger

Competition between the two leagues proved to be advantageous to players as their wages increased exponentially. An example of this is how both leagues reported spending 25 million dollars in signatures alone for college players and the starting salary for these players was reported to be more than 400 thousand dollars. This rivalry made AFL to lure more players with higher wages it even reported to have signed a deal with NBC in the year 1964 to a tune of 36 million dollar.

The disadvantages brought about by the rivalry resulted in exorbitant wages for these new players which proved to be too much for the teams in those leagues. This strained the teams financially and also in terms of credibility. The public perceived the feud could get out of control and result in physical harm of both players and managers involved as manifested in the physical altercation between the scouts (Slack, 2008).

Why did the merger’s conspirators choose to talk to Lamar Hunt instead of the AFL commissioner?

Lamar Hunt was respected by his peers and was the owner of Kansas City Chiefs. He was able to caught up with NFL conservatism by forming his own league i.e. AFL and this turn out to be successful as compared to it rival league, the NFL at that time.. Lamar was not only a visionary leader in the United State but was also modest. He had a track record of getting things done (Slack, 2008).

Reference

Slack, T. (2008). Power and Politics in Sport Organization. London: Oxford Publishers.

History has a central role in human development as evident in the article “Kung Fu: Negotiating Nationalism and Modernity” by Siu Leung Li (2006). The author attributes myriad aspects of history to help in understand various Chinese cultural frameworks. Tracing back to the 1970s, Kung Fu has been one of the most influential imaginary martial arts in practice. Li provides a comprehensive analogy of the history and trajectory of how this practice began to become what it is today. Evidently, the art of fighting and fitness began with the local traditional imaginations in China as the author considers this practice as sports.

Founders such as Wong Fei Hung initiated folk culture that led to Kung Fu master smashing Japanese karate fighters to mark the onset of the rise in this philosophy. In their quest, many ancient fighters focused on ensuring that the culture was utilized as a mechanism of sporting and socializing among communities. These martial art events were paramount in enhancing discipline and self-awareness in different ways.

Likewise, the dominance of Kung Fu films tends to maintain the traditions and heritage of China as a unique civic setting. Asian cinemas and other artistic frameworks have a central role in propagating their values. Gender factors are also clearly perpetrated in many movies filmed in modern society. Evidently, the majority of the theater portrays test of masculinity and wellness which is a common theme in many of the films and movies embracing Kung Fu.

Kung Fu is gaining more prominence across the world as more individuals begin to embrace it as a means of physical exercise. Notably, it provides mechanisms that help practitioners become healthy and aware of their environment. Even though many initial fighters switched to boxing, the skill still remains as one of the most prominent cultures across all communities in China and the world at large. The original Kung Fu was as brutal as modern boxing; hence, its place has remained irreplaceable among those of who consider it as athleticism.

One of the key uses include body building which often helps in keeping shape and fitness to avert lifestyle diseases in communities. Although it exists as an ambiguous practice bordering ancient-modern and fantasy-reality fragments, Kung Fu resonates with many people working in the area of health and fitness. Some modernists use techniques envisaged in this culture to develop current styles like yoga and other lifestyles to diversify the practice.

At the same time, Kung Fu helps in fitness and self-defense while promoting mental health in various ways within communities. Although set as a Chinese way of life, it has been propagated to become a universal cultural approach to non-communicable ailments. Many individuals in the modern environment tend to mimic the Chinese heroes, including Bruce Lee, in their skills. In several ways, Bruce Lee used his ability to promote the Chinese nationalism and to avoid cultural decadence across the various generations (Li, 108-110). Evidently, such movements made poised other individuals to question the hero’s approach, which later diversified the implication of Kung Fu.

To conclude, Kung Fu is an imminent art in cultural management of Chinese communities. It serves various roles in modern societies as in ancient times. Essentially, current perpetrators recognize their background and national values. Almost all films around martial art consider Kung Fu as a foundation in the rise of modern fitness. The stereotypic gender roles silently fueled in the surge of Kung Fu overrule historic stories. Thus, it is important to embrace elements of Kung Fu such as karate and yoga in modern society.

Work Cited

Li, Siu Leung. “Kung Fu: negotiating nationalism and modernity.” Asian cinemas: A reader and guide, edited by Dimitris Eleftheriotis and Gary Needham Edinburgh University Press, 2006. 100-125.