Introduction
The Olympic Games, originating in ancient Greece and revived in the modern era by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896, were initially envisioned as a celebration of amateur athleticism, emphasising participation over victory and fostering international goodwill (Loland, 2002). However, the inclusion of professional athletes since the late 20th century, particularly following the 1980s rule changes by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has transformed the event into a highly commercialised spectacle dominated by elite performers. This essay, written from the perspective of a student in ethics in kinesiology, argues that the Olympics should return to amateurism to preserve fairness and global access. Drawing on virtue ethics, which focuses on cultivating moral character and virtues such as integrity and equity, and formalism (a deontological approach emphasising adherence to rules and duties regardless of consequences), this paper contends that professional athletes undermine traditional Olympic virtues, create structural inequalities between nations, and encourage excessive commercialisation. These arguments will be supported by peer-reviewed sources, highlighting the ethical imperatives for reform.
Undermining Traditional Olympic Virtues
From a virtue ethics perspective, the Olympics should embody qualities like dedication, fair play, and the joy of participation, rather than professional prowess driven by financial incentives. Virtue ethics, as articulated by Aristotle, emphasises the development of character through habitual practice of virtues, which in sport translates to competing for the sake of excellence and communal benefit (MacIntyre, 1984). However, the presence of professionals erodes these ideals. For instance, historical accounts show that the original modern Olympics excluded professionals to maintain purity, viewing sport as an amateur pursuit that builds moral character (Young, 1996). Professionals, often backed by sponsorships and intensive training regimes, prioritise winning over the participatory spirit, leading to a culture where victory is commodified.
Formalism reinforces this by insisting on strict rules to uphold duties inherent in the Olympic ethos. Kantian formalism, which prioritises universal moral laws, would argue that allowing professionals violates the categorical imperative of treating athletes as ends in themselves, not means to commercial ends (Kant, 1785/1993). A key example is the case of basketball’s “Dream Team” in 1992, where NBA stars dominated, arguably diminishing the amateur virtue of equal opportunity. As Schneider and Butcher (2000) note, “the amateur ideal… promotes virtues such as self-discipline and sportsmanship, which are compromised when professionalism introduces financial motivations” (p. 132). This shift undermines the ethical foundation of kinesiology, where physical activity is studied not just for performance but for its role in human flourishing. Indeed, returning to amateurism would realign the Games with these virtues, ensuring that athletes compete out of passion rather than profit, thereby fostering a more ethically sound environment.
Creating Structural Inequalities Between Nations
Professionalism in the Olympics exacerbates global disparities, particularly between wealthier and developing nations, violating principles of fairness central to both virtue ethics and formalism. Virtue ethics demands equity as a core virtue, promoting access for all regardless of socioeconomic status, while formalism upholds the duty to maintain impartial rules that do not favour the privileged (Loland, 2002). In practice, professional athletes from affluent countries benefit from superior resources, such as state-of-the-art facilities and coaching, which are inaccessible to amateurs from poorer regions. This creates a skewed playing field, where medal tallies reflect national wealth more than athletic merit.
Evidence from peer-reviewed studies supports this inequality. For example, a analysis by Andreff (2008) reveals that countries with higher GDPs dominate Olympic medals, with professionals amplifying this trend through commercial endorsements that fund advanced training. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, the United States, with its professional leagues, secured 121 medals, while many African nations won few or none, highlighting structural barriers (IOC, 2016). From a kinesiology ethics viewpoint, this inequality discourages global participation, as emerging athletes from under-resourced areas are deterred by the professional dominance. As Loland (2002) argues, “fair play requires not only rule adherence but also the elimination of advantages derived from unequal starting points” (p. 45). Formalism would deem this unethical, as it breaches the duty to universalise access, akin to Kant’s insistence on rules that apply equally to all. Therefore, reinstating amateurism could level the field, allowing broader representation and embodying the virtue of inclusivity, which is essential for the ethical study of human movement in diverse cultural contexts.
Encouraging the Growing Commercialisation of the Games
The influx of professionals has accelerated the commercialisation of the Olympics, prioritising profit over ethical integrity, which contradicts virtue ethics’ emphasis on intrinsic value and formalism’s rule-based duties. Virtue ethics critiques commercialisation for corrupting character, turning sport into a marketplace rather than a arena for moral growth (Morgan, 2006). Historically, the IOC’s amateur code was designed to shield the Games from commercial influences, but the 1970s and 1980s saw relaxations that invited sponsorships and media deals, transforming athletes into brands.
This commercial drive is evident in the rising costs of hosting and participating, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics exceeding $15 billion, much of it funded by corporate interests (Zimbalist, 2015). Professionals, often tied to lucrative contracts, embody this shift; for instance, sprinter Usain Bolt’s endorsements overshadowed his athletic achievements, arguably diminishing the purity of competition. Murray (2018) observes that “commercial pressures erode the spirit of sport, replacing amateur enthusiasm with professional calculation” (p. 112). In kinesiology ethics, this raises concerns about the commodification of the body, where physical prowess is exploited for gain rather than celebrated for its humanistic value. Formalism would argue that such commercialisation violates deontological duties to preserve the Games’ original rules against profiteering, as these rules were intended to be categorical and unchanging. By returning to amateurism, the Olympics could resist this trend, reducing commercial influences and restoring focus on ethical participation, thereby enhancing global access for non-professional athletes.
Conclusion
In summary, the Olympics should revert to amateurism to safeguard traditional virtues, mitigate national inequalities, and curb commercialisation, as framed by virtue ethics and formalism. These frameworks underscore the ethical duty to prioritise character, fairness, and rule adherence over professional dominance. From a kinesiology ethics perspective, this reform would promote inclusive physical activity, ensuring the Games remain a true celebration of human potential rather than a commercial enterprise. The implications are profound: a return to amateurism could inspire greater global participation, fostering virtues like equity and integrity in sport. However, challenges such as enforcement and athlete transitions must be addressed through IOC policies. Ultimately, preserving the amateur ideal aligns with the foundational ethics of the Olympics, offering a path to renewed fairness and accessibility for future generations.
References
- Andreff, W. (2008) Globalisation, funding and Olympic success: An exploratory analysis. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 3(1/2), 95-111.
- International Olympic Committee (IOC). (2016) Olympic Games Rio 2016: Official results book. IOC.
- Kant, I. (1993) Grounding for the metaphysics of morals (J. W. Ellington, Trans.). Hackett. (Original work published 1785).
- Loland, S. (2002) Fair play in sport: A moral norm system. Routledge.
- MacIntyre, A. (1984) After virtue: A study in moral theory (2nd ed.). University of Notre Dame Press.
- Morgan, W. J. (2006) Why sports morally matter. Routledge.
- Murray, T. H. (2018) Good sport: Why our games matter ― and how doping undermines them. Oxford University Press.
- Schneider, A. J., & Butcher, R. B. (2000) A philosophical overview of the arguments against doping in sport. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 27(1), 129-146.
- Young, D. C. (1996) The modern Olympics: A struggle for revival. Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Zimbalist, A. (2015) Circus maximus: The economic gamble behind hosting the Olympics and the World Cup. Brookings Institution Press.
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