It will take more than just talk

A local sporting event, competition or tournament does not go by without a plea by organizers or sporting officials for players, match officials and spectators to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner.

Similarly, at the end of the event, supplications are again made, as invariably pockets of ill-discipline take place.{{more}}

It will be wishful thinking to expect that there will be sporting events with zero cases of ill-discipline, as it is natural for persons to vent their frustrations in the manner they know best.

No sport has escaped the blight of bad behaviour, although what happens is sometimes beyond the control of the organizers, and may involve persons who are far removed from what is taking place on the playing arena.

But when it has a direct co-relation to the active participants, then the alarms must be sounded hard.

Whilst different forms of anti-social actions are commonplace worldwide, focus on helping to lessen their occurence in sports and at sporting events must occupy the thoughts of stakeholders here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Greater attention and a call for action come in light of the general degradation in norms of behaviour from the general population.

However, what is unfolding among some of our womenfolk directly and indirectly in sports, should indicate that we are losing our way, and doing so rapidly.

Females have tended to carry the torch of near exemplary deportment and conduct aloft, but today some are straying from the “ladylike” label and are embracing the virago tag.

St Vincent and the Grenadines, like many other countries, is challenged to get females involved in sports, and has even more difficulty keeping them for a sustained period.

Therefore, actions which are contrary to the acceptable standards of conduct among them would simply harden the fight for sustainability.

And, one sport which is bearing the brunt of the fall-off is the lone sport which can be deemed exclusive to females – netball.

For more reasons than one, netball has lost its way in terms of quality of play, administrative vigour, public appeal and the number of active players, and to be hit with ill- discipline at its various competitions, garnishes the sport’s misery.

Whilst netball in recent times has come in for some focus, other sports have not escaped the afflictions.

So, talk alone will not fix the behavioural challenges that are affecting all sports here in SVG.

Unfortunately, such problems are only highlighted, as some punitive actions are taken, inclusive of bans and reprimands.

In some cases, the offending parties’ punishments are made public via sports releases.

Most times, the actions of the perpetrators are spoken of disparagingly and at the lowest degree.

Hitting back and severe condemnation is sometimes is the only method employed at solving such incidences of misconduct.

The best solution for many is fighting fire by dousing more gas on the fire.

But do our sports administrators think long and hard about how to find ways to curb some of the deviant behaviour which confronts the various sporting disciplines?

Many speak of mentorship programmes, but some turn out to be facades, with nothing tangible and no positive results coming out of their grandiose pronouncements.

Whether it is cost cutting or a deliberate disinterest for the promotion of proper conduct, some organizations have stopped offering a reward to the Most Disciplined Team.

Is it that they too have accepted that ill-discipline in sports has gone to a point of no return?

Or is it that no team is worthy of such accolade or reward?

Even the Ministry of Education, National Reconciliation and Ecclesiastic Affairs has deleted that award from its presentation ceremonies at the competitions it hosts.

Seeking out all avenues to assist offenders of sporting ill-discipline must be pursued, as no one way is perfect in helping to bring the acts of deviance under some control.

The outward exhibition of such behaviours are sometimes inward revelations of hurt and other unmet lower needs which have gone unsatisfied.

In the case of student-athletes, a more cohesive and amicable relationship with their parents and the schools can assist in regard to establishing joint partnerships.

A commonsense approach is needed, rather than throwing of hands in the air and surrendering to the issues of ill-discipline in sports, which are real.

Notwithstanding that we are grappling with a wider societal problem, but one which when it infiltrates sports, must be tackled head-on.