Summary

A glance at the daily newspaper reveals a myriad of moral imperfections in sport. Stories on drug use, violence, scandals, and unethical practices are nearly as common as recaps of the previous day's game. > Ethics in Sport> examines these and other key issues. It is the finest and most comprehensive literature to date on the ethical issues confronting sport in contemporary society.The text, edited by William J. Morgan, PhD, Klaus V. Meier, PhD, and Angela J. Schneider, PhD, is a collection of works by world-renowned scholars. The book includes--an examination of good sportsmanship, fair play, and cheating and their true places in today's sport environment;-an ethical exploration of the most dominant, moral controversy in sport today - performance-enhancing drugs;-a review of gender equity and identity in modern-day sport, including a look into the strides that women have made and the male "paternalism" of sport that may hinder future progress;-an overview of animal rights in sport and the moral and ethical issues of exploiting, maiming, and even killing animals in the name of sport;-a look into sport's influence on society;-an assessment of violence in sport and its threat to the moral social fiber; and-an evaluation of whether sport still teaches values that are vital and beneficial.Part I,"Fair Play, Being a Good Sport, and Cheating: At What Price Victory?", is a survey and analysis of the debate on good sportsmanship and cheating. It examines the issues of competition, good sportsmanship, and the potential tolls of a "win-at-all-costs" attitude in sport. It also provides the reader with an overview of the different character traits found in sport as well as an examination of the moral character and integrity of competitive sport and proper conduct within sport.Part II,"The Limits of Being Human: The Case of Performance-Enhancing Drugs, " explores the issues surrounding the most dominant, moral controversy regarding sport today - athletes' use of performance-enhancing drugs. The editors raise many questions about the human character and the range of harm done to the doping athlete, the non-doping athlete, and society. Two very critical and controversial topics associated with the issue are closely analyzed: the price of the pursuit of athletic excellence and enforced drug testing to detect the presence of performance-enhancing or recreational drug use.Part III,"Women in Sport: Gender Equity and Gender Identity, " covers the topic of equal opportunity for women in sport. Discussions focus on how to best achieve equality in sport, the moral soundness of remedies already in place, and the difficulty women encounter in establishing an athletic identity of their own.Part IV,"Animals and Their Use in Sport: Where Do We Draw the Moral Line?", is a mostly-ignored, ethically challenging topic covered in > Ethics in Sport> . Many questions are raised regarding humanity's moral responsibilities to animals in sport. Animals are often exploited, maimed, and even killed in the name of sport. Central questions surrounding whether animals have any moral interests or rights are addressed in this section.Part V,"The Social Ethics of Sport: Is Sport Good for Society?", reviews the overall concern of whether sport is good for society. The section introduces some of the major social criticisms of sport including violence in sport and sport heroism.