Amateurism

Amateurism is the philosophy that elevates things done without self-interest above things done for pay, especially with regard to sports which require participants to be amateurs. A zealously guarded ideal in the 19th century, it faced steady decline throughout the 20th century and is now held to by few organisations, even if they maintain the word "Amateur" in their titles.

The present day

By the early 21st Century the Olympics and all the major team sports accepted professional competitors. However there are still some sports which maintain a distinction between amateur and professional status, with separate competitions for the latter, most prominently golf. Problems can arise in this situation, for example when sponsors offer to help with an amateur's playing expenses in the hope of striking lucrative endorsement deals with them if they turn professional at a later date, but this is perhaps better seen as corruption or simply cheating than as true "shamateurism".

Related Topics:
21st Century - Olympics - Golf

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Where professionals are permitted, it is hard for amateurs to compete against them. Whether this is a triumph of the free market or an example of corruption depends on the viewer's perspective. To some an amateur means an incompetent and to others an idealist. To say that the athlete should not be paid can prevent performances only possible for an athlete who is free to pursue the sport fulltime without other sources of income; to make payment for performance the driving engine of the sport can invite cynicism and inflated wages. A truly idealist maximisation of athletic excellence without mercenary motive seems beyond human capacity.

Related Topics:
Free market - Idealist - Mercenary

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