Ethics take a back seat when winning post is in sight

Every year in Trinity College Dublin, John Scally, a lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religions, organises a conference on the ethics of sport, writes Paul Rouse.

This year’s conference drew the usual eclectic mix of writers, academics, players, managers, and sports enthusiasts — it was a reminder of the power of sport and of its place in modern life.

Ethical issues around sport usually revolve around the pursuit of success. But when do we ever discuss the meaning of success? When it comes down to it, debate around the idea of winning by whatever means necessary is something that flares into sight, only at the time of controversy, and rarely in a reasoned way.