What is a sport?

Tyler Durden

There is no doubt the Olympic committee feel it is a sport.

I was just giving my own answer and not playing by the rules....like the punk I am!!!

Dr. Giganto

Yeah...it's a subjective matter. I disagree with the Olympic committee on some "sports"

I also dont think anything that is judged is a sport. I think a sport should determine a clear-cut winner, not someone's subjective opinion. So things like diving and gymnastics, though extremely difficult and requiring a tremendous level of physical exertion, are not sports in my eyes

Tyler Durden

That's a toughie though D since then you'd kind of have to discount boxing as a sport and, man, there's nothing much that's more of a sport than that.

Dr. Giganto

Nope...because you can still determine a clear-cut winner in boxing via a knockout. Plus, Olympic boxing is scored using a point system based on solid punches.

Tyler Durden

That's only talking about the Olympics though and the question originally was more generic than that. Surely you include professional boxing as a sport and that is totally subjective from the judges and not scored in the same way as amateur boxing.

Dr. Giganto

Personally, I despise the judging system in professional boxing. I mean, I understand why it's done, which is to protect the fighters from incurring undue punishment from a ridiculously long fight.

But the fact that there is an objective means to determine a winner (namely, a knockout, which is the ultimate goal of any boxing match) separates it from stuff like gymnastics and figure skating in my eyes

AudioSavior

Definitions of sport on the Web:

an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
the occupation of athletes who compete for pay
someone who engages in sports

A sport consists of a normal physical activity or skill carried out under a publicly agreed set of rules, and with a recreational purpose: for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of skill, or some combination of these. A sport has physical activity, side by side competition, and a scoring system. The difference of purpose is what characterises sport, combined with the notion of individual (or team) skill or prowess.

A hamster that is genetically different from the norm ( HAHA )

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

You must think UFC or MMA if you will is not a sport either, but I'd say how so?


I mean, there is no "sport" that has more phyisicality than MMA and there is usually a winner, although in recent years it's gone to judges more often. I love watching MMA.

Dr. Giganto

MMA is the same as boxing. The ultimate goal is to knock out your opponent. This is an objective method of determining the winner.

In gymnastics, the outcome is decided 100% of the time by the judges.

AudioSavior

Well there is no word in between sport and game to really categorize these questionable competitions other than to just call them a sport. I think it is kind of old fashion thinking to not call newer or different competitions as a sport just because of ones own definition of what they think a sport is.