It had been reported by Time magazine that between 43 000 and 67 000 high-school football players suffer concussions each year and that may just be a mere understatement. Sports injuries cases are increasing and becoming more and more significant. The greatly mushrooming number of cases of sports injuries makes us question, is violence in sports inevitable?
Violence is a physical force which can inflict pain or harm when exerted to the involved parties. It seems that this act of aggression is becoming more and more prevalent in sports especially contact sports such as football, hockey and rugby etc. We shall categorise violence into different types: one which happens while the game is going on and the post-game violence.
The violence in the field shows great emphasis on the players’ desire to win or in another case, the playing teams’ way to gain fans. Many a time, the number of fans supporting a certain team is a representation of a team’s recognition and popularity among others. This indirectly means that the more fans the team has, the ‘better’ it is. Countless players tend to stray away from the true values and the meaning of the sport, and violence in this case shows the loss of sportsmanship. For example, when the first UFC began in 1993, it was meant to be a showcase for Brazilian-style jujitsu (a fighting style), but it quickly devolved into a circus. Wild audiences screamed for more violent drama. It seems the sport was more treasured for its dramatic actions instead of the actual sport value and these sportsmen may give the audience what they want to see just for the sake of gaining more fans.
Richard Lustberg, a journalist, teacher and creator of psychologyofsports.com, says post-game violence is an outlet to unleash the rage. An incident during the game which may has displeased either of the parties can catalyze the rage. Violence may be a channel for players to display their resentment to another player of the opponent- intentionally or unintentionally. However, most violence occurred during the game are being fairly dealt with.
For example, in a baseball brawl, St. Louis Cardinal’s slugger, Tino Martinez was hit by a pitch from Arizona pitcher, Miguel Batista. After the play, Batista glared at Martinez as if to say, “I meant to do it.” A play later, as Martinez trotted off the field, he went after Batista and a brief bench-clearing brawl ensued.
At the same time, violence in sports does not just happen in America. Who can forget the infamous rugby match between St’ Andrew’s Secondary School and Anglo Chinese School (Independent), where a fight broke out right after a match? This happened here, in Singapore, or the ‘Zidane Headbutt’ incident during the 2006 World Cup Finals in Berlin. Apart from these two incidents, many other examples exist around the world and throughout history. Sport is something which can be found everywhere, it is like the sky, the land, the seas, and one cannot escape it. Neither can one escape the violence which is related to any sport. Violence in sport is therefore in evitable. It is correlated and can never be separated. To have a sport without violence means to have players who will never feel frustrated in a match, to be able to tolerate any insult and have enough self control to control their emotions. In other words, the player haws to be either a saint or a robot without a heart. Even then, one cannot say with hundred percent certainties that no violence will take place during a match.
Violence in sports is not new to us and is likely to continue on, however, the question is, whether we play sports for enjoyment and leisure; or for the glory of winning, will we do anything to succeed and emerge victorious, including resorting to violence?
Credits: 1.2.3.By: Pang Yun Jing, Kyla Wong, Isaac Chong, Dorothea Leong and Phyllis Zhuang 10A06
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Sports and violence
Sports violence can be defined as behavior which causes harm, occurs outside of the rules of the sport, and is unrelated to the competitive objectives of the sport. identifies two forms of aggression in sports. Instrumental aggression is non-emotional and task-oriented. Reactive aggression has an underlying emotional component, with harm as its goal. Violence is an outcome of reactive aggression.
An increase in both frequency and seriousness of acts of violence has been well documented. Violence is most prevalent in team contact sports, such as ice hockey, football, and rugby. While most occurrences of violence emanate from players, others, including coaches, parents, fans, and the media, also contribute to what has been described as an epidemic of violence in sports today.
THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS OF SPORTS VIOLENCE
There are three major theories that seek to explain violent aggression in sports. The biological theory, proposed most notably by Nobel prize winner Konrad Lorenz, sees aggression as a basic, inherent human characteristic. Within this context, sports is seen as a socially acceptable way to discharge built-up aggression, a safety valve.
The psychological theory states that aggression is caused by frustration; it is situational. Frustration results when one's efforts to reach a particular goal are blocked. In sports, frustration can be caused by questionable calls by officials, failure to make a particular play, injuries that interfere with optimum performance, heckling from spectators, or taunts by coaches or players.
The social learning theory has received the most empirical verification and maintains that aggressive behavior is learned through modeling and reinforced by rewards and punishments. Young athletes take sports heroes as role models and imitate their behavior. Parents, coaches and teammates are also models who may demonstrate support for an aggressive style of play.
Reinforcement for acts of violence may come from three sources: (a) the athlete's immediate reference group--coaches, teammates, family, friends; (b) structure of the game and implementation of rules by officials and governing bodies; (c) attitudes of fans, media, courts, and society. Reinforcement may take the form of rewards, such as praise, trophies, starting position, respect of friends and family. Vicarious reinforcement may be derived from seeing professional players lionized and paid huge salaries, in spite of, or because of, their aggressive style of play. Players who don't display the desired degree of aggressiveness may receive negative reinforcement through criticism from parents and coaches, lack of playing time, harassment by teammates, opponents, or spectators.
These theories provide a basis for interventions that may curb excessive aggression, especially among young athletes. Terry and Jackson suggest that socialization forces, particularly reinforcement, offer the best focus for intervention. In addition, psychological forces can be addressed by modifying or controlling situations that produce frustration.
WHAT CAN COACHES AND PHYSICAL EDUCATORS DO TO CURB VIOLENCE IN YOUTH SPORTS?
Physical educators and coaches are in a key position to lay the groundwork for positive attitudes in sports. Guidelines for teaching children to shun violent behavior in sports include:
(a) Put sports in perspective. Coaches should not emphasize winning at all cost. Enjoyment and the development of individual skills should be the objective. Coaches should be alert to and praise improvement. Athletic performance should not be equated with personal worth. Players should not be encouraged or allowed to play when injured or ill, as a demonstration of stoic virtue.
(b) Stress participation. Hellstedt cites studies which show that many children 9-14 drop out of sports because they spend too much time on the bench and not enough on the field. They perceive themselves as unsuccessful because their level of performance doesn't earn them more playing time. A study of young male athletes indicated that 90% would rather have an opportunity to play on a losing team than sit on the bench of a winning team.
(c) Present positive role models. Sports violence is most prevalent in professional sports. Coaches should avoid symbolic associations with professional teams--e.g. names, logos. They should not model their own coaching techniques on those of professional coaches. Weiser and Love recommend that school coaches implement strategies to foster feelings of team ownership among players, replacing the traditional hierarchy--authoritarian coach, submissive players--that governs the coach-player relationship in professional sports. Encourage input, permit participation in decision-making, and listen to player feedback. Feelings of team ownership foster team cohesiveness, which in turn leads to better performance.
(d) Integrate values-oriented intervention strategies into the curriculum. Waldzilak cites a number of intervention strategies, utilizing Kohlberg's moral development model and social learning theories, which have been shown to produce improvement or modification of behavior, moral reasoning and perceptions of sportsmanship. Teachers and coaches should commit themselves to actively teaching positive sports-related values, and devise curricula that do so.
EXAMPLE OF VIOLENCE IN SPORTS
Take the NHL's Todd Bertuzzi, for example. A couple of years ago, he punched Steve Moore, an opposing Colorado Avalanche player, in the back of the head and drove him into the ice during a game. Unfortunately, Moore sustained a major concussion and a broken neck, as well as a variety of other facial injuries. Bertuzzi was harshly reprimanded by the NHL; he was fined and suspended for the rest of the season. Many teams then lost interest in the one time star, who's career began a downward spiral as a result of the incident. Bertuzzi even faced accusations of criminal charges for the illegal hit.
DONE BY:HO JIAN WEI 10S11
An increase in both frequency and seriousness of acts of violence has been well documented. Violence is most prevalent in team contact sports, such as ice hockey, football, and rugby. While most occurrences of violence emanate from players, others, including coaches, parents, fans, and the media, also contribute to what has been described as an epidemic of violence in sports today.
THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS OF SPORTS VIOLENCE
There are three major theories that seek to explain violent aggression in sports. The biological theory, proposed most notably by Nobel prize winner Konrad Lorenz, sees aggression as a basic, inherent human characteristic. Within this context, sports is seen as a socially acceptable way to discharge built-up aggression, a safety valve.
The psychological theory states that aggression is caused by frustration; it is situational. Frustration results when one's efforts to reach a particular goal are blocked. In sports, frustration can be caused by questionable calls by officials, failure to make a particular play, injuries that interfere with optimum performance, heckling from spectators, or taunts by coaches or players.
The social learning theory has received the most empirical verification and maintains that aggressive behavior is learned through modeling and reinforced by rewards and punishments. Young athletes take sports heroes as role models and imitate their behavior. Parents, coaches and teammates are also models who may demonstrate support for an aggressive style of play.
Reinforcement for acts of violence may come from three sources: (a) the athlete's immediate reference group--coaches, teammates, family, friends; (b) structure of the game and implementation of rules by officials and governing bodies; (c) attitudes of fans, media, courts, and society. Reinforcement may take the form of rewards, such as praise, trophies, starting position, respect of friends and family. Vicarious reinforcement may be derived from seeing professional players lionized and paid huge salaries, in spite of, or because of, their aggressive style of play. Players who don't display the desired degree of aggressiveness may receive negative reinforcement through criticism from parents and coaches, lack of playing time, harassment by teammates, opponents, or spectators.
These theories provide a basis for interventions that may curb excessive aggression, especially among young athletes. Terry and Jackson suggest that socialization forces, particularly reinforcement, offer the best focus for intervention. In addition, psychological forces can be addressed by modifying or controlling situations that produce frustration.
WHAT CAN COACHES AND PHYSICAL EDUCATORS DO TO CURB VIOLENCE IN YOUTH SPORTS?
Physical educators and coaches are in a key position to lay the groundwork for positive attitudes in sports. Guidelines for teaching children to shun violent behavior in sports include:
(a) Put sports in perspective. Coaches should not emphasize winning at all cost. Enjoyment and the development of individual skills should be the objective. Coaches should be alert to and praise improvement. Athletic performance should not be equated with personal worth. Players should not be encouraged or allowed to play when injured or ill, as a demonstration of stoic virtue.
(b) Stress participation. Hellstedt cites studies which show that many children 9-14 drop out of sports because they spend too much time on the bench and not enough on the field. They perceive themselves as unsuccessful because their level of performance doesn't earn them more playing time. A study of young male athletes indicated that 90% would rather have an opportunity to play on a losing team than sit on the bench of a winning team.
(c) Present positive role models. Sports violence is most prevalent in professional sports. Coaches should avoid symbolic associations with professional teams--e.g. names, logos. They should not model their own coaching techniques on those of professional coaches. Weiser and Love recommend that school coaches implement strategies to foster feelings of team ownership among players, replacing the traditional hierarchy--authoritarian coach, submissive players--that governs the coach-player relationship in professional sports. Encourage input, permit participation in decision-making, and listen to player feedback. Feelings of team ownership foster team cohesiveness, which in turn leads to better performance.
(d) Integrate values-oriented intervention strategies into the curriculum. Waldzilak cites a number of intervention strategies, utilizing Kohlberg's moral development model and social learning theories, which have been shown to produce improvement or modification of behavior, moral reasoning and perceptions of sportsmanship. Teachers and coaches should commit themselves to actively teaching positive sports-related values, and devise curricula that do so.
EXAMPLE OF VIOLENCE IN SPORTS
Take the NHL's Todd Bertuzzi, for example. A couple of years ago, he punched Steve Moore, an opposing Colorado Avalanche player, in the back of the head and drove him into the ice during a game. Unfortunately, Moore sustained a major concussion and a broken neck, as well as a variety of other facial injuries. Bertuzzi was harshly reprimanded by the NHL; he was fined and suspended for the rest of the season. Many teams then lost interest in the one time star, who's career began a downward spiral as a result of the incident. Bertuzzi even faced accusations of criminal charges for the illegal hit.
DONE BY:HO JIAN WEI 10S11
Terrorism In U.S.A
(click on image for a bigger view)
By: Nurul Ashilah, Nur Ulfah Firdahani, Brandon Pang, Haziq, Nurul Natasha.
CG 10S14
Negative impact of mass media in China 2
Website 2: http://www.killology.com/stanfordstudy.htm
THE STANFORD STUDY: LESS TV = LESS VIOLENCEWould you like to have a 40% reduction in violent behavior in YOUR kids' school?
How many kids were killed or injured in school fires in the US in the last 5 years? Answer: Zero. Yet we do fire drills and have alarms and sprinklers for something that is only an infinitely remote possibility.
How many kids were killed or injured in school shootings in the US in the last 5 years? Answer: In 1998 alone, according to the US Secret Service, there were 35 murders, and almost a quarter-of-a-million American children "seriously injured" by school violence.
The possibility of your child being killed or injured by school violence issmall, but it is thousands of times more likely than the possibility of aschool fire, and we have the moral obligation to do at LEAST as much prep for a shooting as for a fire.
So what can we do to reduce school violence?
Convince kids to turn off the TV!
In July, 2000, a joint statement was made to the US Congress by the AMA, the APA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. What they said was: "Well over 1,000 studies point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children."
That's all of our doctors, psychologists, pediatricians and childpsychiatrists telling the US Congress that media violence causes violence in children. Over a 1,000 studies have demonstrated that if you put media violence in a child's life, you will get an increase in violent behavior. So far, though, no one has demonstrated the reverse: If we take media violence out of a child's life, will violent behavior go down?
Now Stanford University has demonstrated exactly that. Less TV equals less violence. Earlier this year Stanford released a landmark study demonstrating a 50% decrease in verbal aggression, and a 40% decrease in physical aggression, just by encouraging kids to turn off their TVs and video games.
Thomas N. Robinson, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford and the study's lead author, stated that: "What this says is there is something you can do in a practical way, in a real-world setting, and see the effects."
The Stanford data was gathered at two similar San Jose elementary schools. Researchers first carefully assessed the baseline level of aggressive behavior in 192 third- and fourth-graders through playground observations and interviews. Then, they introduced a curriculum at one school meant to encourage children to cut back on video games and to watch less TV.
Two-thirds of the pupils agreed to participate in an initial, 10-day effortto turn off television altogether, which was monitored by slips signed by parents. Over half of them continued to limit their television watching to under seven hours per week during the next 20 weeks.
After 20 weeks the researchers found a 40 percent reduction in physicalaggression, and a 50 percent reduction in the level of verbal aggression in the overall population at the experimental school compared with the one that did not follow the curriculum. The children who were the most aggressive at the outset of the study had the most to gain, and they showed the greatest benefit. The researchers also noted significant reduction in obesity and overeating problems in the school where the curriculum was introduced.
In personal correspondence with Dr. Robinson, the lead researcher in this project, he told me that, "One of my goals is to make the curriculum available widely. I get many requests directly from teachers and other researchers." Every parent, teacher, and leader in American should insist that this curriculum be integrated into their school as soon as possible.
I remember when my 1st grade teacher told us that cigarettes can kill people. My dad smoked! I loved my dad and didn't want him to die. So I hid his cigarettes. He convinced me that that was not a good idea, but the generation that was taught in elementary school about the health risk of tobacco is the generation that grew up and played pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with the tobacco industry.
Now we are on the threshold of a generation that will be informed about the health impact of media violence, and the result will be a major victory for America's children and for the American people.
THE STANFORD STUDY: LESS TV = LESS VIOLENCEWould you like to have a 40% reduction in violent behavior in YOUR kids' school?
How many kids were killed or injured in school fires in the US in the last 5 years? Answer: Zero. Yet we do fire drills and have alarms and sprinklers for something that is only an infinitely remote possibility.
How many kids were killed or injured in school shootings in the US in the last 5 years? Answer: In 1998 alone, according to the US Secret Service, there were 35 murders, and almost a quarter-of-a-million American children "seriously injured" by school violence.
The possibility of your child being killed or injured by school violence issmall, but it is thousands of times more likely than the possibility of aschool fire, and we have the moral obligation to do at LEAST as much prep for a shooting as for a fire.
So what can we do to reduce school violence?
Convince kids to turn off the TV!
In July, 2000, a joint statement was made to the US Congress by the AMA, the APA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. What they said was: "Well over 1,000 studies point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children."
That's all of our doctors, psychologists, pediatricians and childpsychiatrists telling the US Congress that media violence causes violence in children. Over a 1,000 studies have demonstrated that if you put media violence in a child's life, you will get an increase in violent behavior. So far, though, no one has demonstrated the reverse: If we take media violence out of a child's life, will violent behavior go down?
Now Stanford University has demonstrated exactly that. Less TV equals less violence. Earlier this year Stanford released a landmark study demonstrating a 50% decrease in verbal aggression, and a 40% decrease in physical aggression, just by encouraging kids to turn off their TVs and video games.
Thomas N. Robinson, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford and the study's lead author, stated that: "What this says is there is something you can do in a practical way, in a real-world setting, and see the effects."
The Stanford data was gathered at two similar San Jose elementary schools. Researchers first carefully assessed the baseline level of aggressive behavior in 192 third- and fourth-graders through playground observations and interviews. Then, they introduced a curriculum at one school meant to encourage children to cut back on video games and to watch less TV.
Two-thirds of the pupils agreed to participate in an initial, 10-day effortto turn off television altogether, which was monitored by slips signed by parents. Over half of them continued to limit their television watching to under seven hours per week during the next 20 weeks.
After 20 weeks the researchers found a 40 percent reduction in physicalaggression, and a 50 percent reduction in the level of verbal aggression in the overall population at the experimental school compared with the one that did not follow the curriculum. The children who were the most aggressive at the outset of the study had the most to gain, and they showed the greatest benefit. The researchers also noted significant reduction in obesity and overeating problems in the school where the curriculum was introduced.
In personal correspondence with Dr. Robinson, the lead researcher in this project, he told me that, "One of my goals is to make the curriculum available widely. I get many requests directly from teachers and other researchers." Every parent, teacher, and leader in American should insist that this curriculum be integrated into their school as soon as possible.
I remember when my 1st grade teacher told us that cigarettes can kill people. My dad smoked! I loved my dad and didn't want him to die. So I hid his cigarettes. He convinced me that that was not a good idea, but the generation that was taught in elementary school about the health risk of tobacco is the generation that grew up and played pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with the tobacco industry.
Now we are on the threshold of a generation that will be informed about the health impact of media violence, and the result will be a major victory for America's children and for the American people.
Hockey violence
On 8 March 2004, Todd Bertuzzi was involved in sparking off a massive brawl. Late in the third period, while losing 8-2, Vancouver’s Todd Bertuzzi stalked Colorado’s Steve Moore down the ice holding onto the back of his jersey. Bertuzzi could be seen whispering into Moore’s ear, while he leisurely strolled behind him. When the play began to move in the other direction and Steve Moore began to skate away, Bertuzzi dropped his stick and delivered a blindsided, right handed, punch to the side of Moore’s face. Moore fell forward with Bertuzzi still on his back driving his head into the ice. Several other players quickly joined the melee by piling on top of Moore’s motionless body. Steve Moore suffered facial lacerations, a concussion, and two damaged vertebrae, which have subsequently put his professional hockey career on hold, indefinitely. Bertuzzi was immediately suspended by the NHL for this transgression, while the Vancouver police immediately opened a criminal investigation.
The legal response to this incident was so immediate that police officers began interviewing fans, players, trainers, coaches, and administrative personnel who were in attendance. On June 24, 2004, Todd Bertuzzi was formally charged by the Vancouver attorney general for assault causing bodily harm. Due to the publicity and severity of the act, along with the overwhelmingly public outcry that followed, it is speculated that all athletes in the NHL were quickly informed of the incident and the severity of the punishment that Todd Bertuzzi was facing.
Another incident involved Jesse Boulerice, who while playing in a minor league hockey game “grabbed his hockey stick at the end of the handle with both hands, and swung his hockey stick, in a baseball type swing, at Andrew Long.” The victim was hit and went into convulsions. Injuries suffered were very severe. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) suspended Boulerice for a year. In addition, Boulerice was suspended from the Philadelphia Flyers minor league team for six months. Also, formal assault charges were filed against Boulerice by Long in Wayne County, Michigan. Originally charged with assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, Boulerice was able to plea to a reduced charge of aggravated assault, no trial was held, and he was sentenced to 3 months probation. Although deterrence for players as a result of the court’s action in this case is not likely, the league suspension of one year and six months will certainly have a greater impact in that regard. Despite the noted increased prosecution indicated above, to this day, no player in the NHL or its minor league affiliates has been sent to jail for conduct in an athletic event that occurred on U.S. soil.
The legal response to this incident was so immediate that police officers began interviewing fans, players, trainers, coaches, and administrative personnel who were in attendance. On June 24, 2004, Todd Bertuzzi was formally charged by the Vancouver attorney general for assault causing bodily harm. Due to the publicity and severity of the act, along with the overwhelmingly public outcry that followed, it is speculated that all athletes in the NHL were quickly informed of the incident and the severity of the punishment that Todd Bertuzzi was facing.
Another incident involved Jesse Boulerice, who while playing in a minor league hockey game “grabbed his hockey stick at the end of the handle with both hands, and swung his hockey stick, in a baseball type swing, at Andrew Long.” The victim was hit and went into convulsions. Injuries suffered were very severe. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) suspended Boulerice for a year. In addition, Boulerice was suspended from the Philadelphia Flyers minor league team for six months. Also, formal assault charges were filed against Boulerice by Long in Wayne County, Michigan. Originally charged with assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, Boulerice was able to plea to a reduced charge of aggravated assault, no trial was held, and he was sentenced to 3 months probation. Although deterrence for players as a result of the court’s action in this case is not likely, the league suspension of one year and six months will certainly have a greater impact in that regard. Despite the noted increased prosecution indicated above, to this day, no player in the NHL or its minor league affiliates has been sent to jail for conduct in an athletic event that occurred on U.S. soil.
Basketball fan violence
In June 2000, basketball fans celebrating the Los Angeles Lakers' first NBA title for 12 years went on a rampage, destroying vehicles, smashing windows and throwing missiles at police. The impact of this riot by the fans was devastating. Twelve people were injured as some of the 10,000 fans who had gathered outside the Staples Centre arena in anticipation of a Lakers' win started rioting. Two police cars were also set on fire and two other vehicles wrecked as the fans smashed windows, started bonfires and threw rocks and bottles at police. The violence overshadowed the Lakers'closely fought 116-111 win over the Indiana Pacers to claim the NBA championship 4-2.
Police said they had made no arrests after three hours of violence as fans were herded away from the Staples Centre. Fans inside the stadium were kept inside as a precaution and the Pacers' team bus was not allowed to leave until two-and-a-half hours after game had ended.
On the court Shaquille O'Neal scored 41 points as the Lakers came from behind in game six of the best-of-seven game series. O'Neal, who was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Finals, won his first NBA title in his eighth year in the league. Kobe Bryant finished with 26 points and Glen Rice added 16 points for the Lakers while Jalen Rose led Indiana with 29 points, Reggie Miller scored 25 and Dale Davis had 20 points.
The Lakers had not won the NBA title since Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led them to back-to-back championships in 1987 and 1988, their fourth and fifth titles of the decade. Hence, it is understandable that the fans will lose control of themselves but such a rampage is unexpected.
Police said they had made no arrests after three hours of violence as fans were herded away from the Staples Centre. Fans inside the stadium were kept inside as a precaution and the Pacers' team bus was not allowed to leave until two-and-a-half hours after game had ended.
On the court Shaquille O'Neal scored 41 points as the Lakers came from behind in game six of the best-of-seven game series. O'Neal, who was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Finals, won his first NBA title in his eighth year in the league. Kobe Bryant finished with 26 points and Glen Rice added 16 points for the Lakers while Jalen Rose led Indiana with 29 points, Reggie Miller scored 25 and Dale Davis had 20 points.
The Lakers had not won the NBA title since Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led them to back-to-back championships in 1987 and 1988, their fourth and fifth titles of the decade. Hence, it is understandable that the fans will lose control of themselves but such a rampage is unexpected.
Sports violence in Pakistan
In Pakistan, entified gunmen have attacked a bus carrying Sri Lanka's national cricket team to a stadium in Lahore, where they had been scheduled to play the third day of a match against Pakistan.
Five policemen and one bus driver were killed, while five players and one coach were wounded.
Before the attack, Sri Lanka had been the only national cricket team willing to travel to Pakistan.
The incident marks the first major attack on an international sports team since Palestinian militants attacked Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
Five policemen and one bus driver were killed, while five players and one coach were wounded.
Before the attack, Sri Lanka had been the only national cricket team willing to travel to Pakistan.
The incident marks the first major attack on an international sports team since Palestinian militants attacked Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
Sports Violence in China due to football
In China, after a match in 2000 between Shaanxi Guoli and Chengdu Wuniu in Xi'an, Shaanxi province China football fans clashed with police who had to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Police car windows were smashed as the police tried to stop the fans attacking the match referee, whom they were angry at for a decision made during the match. Eight people were arrested but later released. In March 2002 fans fought with police again as hundreds of football fans rioted at a match in Xi'an, this time between Shaanxi Guoli and Qingdao Yizhong. At the final whistle, and in response to a late penalty to the visiting team, Shaanxi Guoli fans threw missiles at the players and the police before setting fire to the stadium seats. The fans accused the referee of being corrupt and fixing the match. The fans were finally dispersed by riot police with batons and high pressure water hoses. Outside the stadium fighting broke out again, a police van and four police cars were overturned.
Sports violence in Israel
In Israel in the 2000s, tensions surrounding the Arab-Israeli conflict spilled over into sporadic riots between Jewish and Arab Israeli football fans. In December 2000 it was reported that every club in Israel was on a final warning following escalating violence and intimidation at matches. Beitar Jerusalem were attracting attention because of their fan's behaviour, with regular "Death to Arabs" banners and chants. Earlier that season Beitar were fined when their fans shouted racist abuse at PAOK FC players during a UEFA Cup match. Beitar had already been under a suspended sentence following an incident two years previously when Rangers F.C. player Rod Wallace was also the subject of racist abuse.
In August 2005 at the start of the domestic season, 7,000 Beitar Jerusalem fans travelled to an opening day away match at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Beitar fans chanted anti Arab chants throughout the match, and later rioted in Tel Aviv. After a match in Sakhnin against Bnei Sakhnin a predominantly Arab supported club, Beitar fans rioted. Beitar have a hooligan firm, La Familia, whose members consider Israeli Arabs to be their enemy.
In November 2007 the Israel Football Association (IFA) ordered Beitar to play their game against the Arab club, Bnei Sakhnin behind closed doors after Beitar fans, led by La Familia, broke a minute's silence for former Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin and sang chants in praise of his assassin, Yigal Amir.
After a pitch invasion led by La Familia on 13 April 2008, which forced the abandonment of the match, when Beitar were leading Maccabi Herzliya 1–0 and just four minutes from winning the Israeli Premier League, the IFA gave the points to their opponents, deducted two points and ordered that the clubs remaining home games were to be played behind closed doors. At almost every Beitar Jerusalem game illegal smoke bombs and fire works are shot out to the field and seats. Even some games fights break out between fans
In August 2005 at the start of the domestic season, 7,000 Beitar Jerusalem fans travelled to an opening day away match at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Beitar fans chanted anti Arab chants throughout the match, and later rioted in Tel Aviv. After a match in Sakhnin against Bnei Sakhnin a predominantly Arab supported club, Beitar fans rioted. Beitar have a hooligan firm, La Familia, whose members consider Israeli Arabs to be their enemy.
In November 2007 the Israel Football Association (IFA) ordered Beitar to play their game against the Arab club, Bnei Sakhnin behind closed doors after Beitar fans, led by La Familia, broke a minute's silence for former Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin and sang chants in praise of his assassin, Yigal Amir.
After a pitch invasion led by La Familia on 13 April 2008, which forced the abandonment of the match, when Beitar were leading Maccabi Herzliya 1–0 and just four minutes from winning the Israeli Premier League, the IFA gave the points to their opponents, deducted two points and ordered that the clubs remaining home games were to be played behind closed doors. At almost every Beitar Jerusalem game illegal smoke bombs and fire works are shot out to the field and seats. Even some games fights break out between fans
Sports and violence
In Beijing, a bizarre row over a player's height caused a Chinese basketball game to be abandoned and sparked violent scenes that left several cars destroyed in Guangdong earlier this week, local media reported on Thursday.
The Dream Basketball League was set up to allow players of "shorter" stature to compete on a level playing field, with a height limit of 6ft 2in (1.88m) imposed.
However, trouble was brewing when Huizhou Qiaoxing signed Chinese Basketball Association player and three-times national 'slam dunk' champion Hu Guang, even though his official CBA profile lists him as 1.95m.
Huizhou's opponents in a game scheduled for Monday, Shenzhen Kuruite, refused to take to the court unless he was measured but league organisers refused.
Shenzhen forfeited the game but kept up their complaints the following day and the league finally agreed to take the tape to the 27-year-old forward.
"Hu bowed his shoulders and bent his neck back," Shenzhen player Wang Tiecheng told local newspaper the Daily Sunshine.
Furious Shenzhen fans disrupted the final by continually chanting: "Unfair, Too tall!" and the game, which was being broadcast live on television, was abandoned at halftime.
Other spectators, upset that the game had been stopped, then smashed up five cars with Shenzhen number plates outside the Dongguan's Huangyong Arena, the Guangzhou Daily reported.
The Dream Basketball League was set up to allow players of "shorter" stature to compete on a level playing field, with a height limit of 6ft 2in (1.88m) imposed.
However, trouble was brewing when Huizhou Qiaoxing signed Chinese Basketball Association player and three-times national 'slam dunk' champion Hu Guang, even though his official CBA profile lists him as 1.95m.
Huizhou's opponents in a game scheduled for Monday, Shenzhen Kuruite, refused to take to the court unless he was measured but league organisers refused.
Shenzhen forfeited the game but kept up their complaints the following day and the league finally agreed to take the tape to the 27-year-old forward.
"Hu bowed his shoulders and bent his neck back," Shenzhen player Wang Tiecheng told local newspaper the Daily Sunshine.
Furious Shenzhen fans disrupted the final by continually chanting: "Unfair, Too tall!" and the game, which was being broadcast live on television, was abandoned at halftime.
Other spectators, upset that the game had been stopped, then smashed up five cars with Shenzhen number plates outside the Dongguan's Huangyong Arena, the Guangzhou Daily reported.
Wrestling link to teen violence
Watching American wrestling is strongly linked to violence, according to a UK study.
Researchers also linked the often-bizarre staged wrestling shows with drink driving, drug use and carrying of weapons in adolescents.
A team at the Wake Forest University (WFU) Baptist Medical Center in Wales questioned 2,228 high school students about the watching of televised wrestling.
The study says the watching of wrestling by males is associated with a plethora of anti-social behaviour.
Researchers said this included having started a fight with a date, been a "date fight" victim, gun carrying, fighting, chewing tobacco, drink driving and the non-prescription use of the amphetamine Ritalin, normally used to treat attention deficit disorders.
"It shows that exposure to this type of violence on television during this crucial period of time when a teen's cognitive, social and physical development is still being cemented, probably affects adolescents in a negative way.
"The level of vulgar language, verbal abuse and physical abuse modelled, with unrealistic outcomes, is astonishing."
But Prof DuRant said relationships between watching wrestling and "health-risk" behaviour were stronger among females than among males.
As well as the bad behaviour seen in the boys questioned, the high school girls questioned had initiated violence on dates as well as being a victim, and showed higher rates of gun carrying even in school, fighting, alcohol use at school, cannabis use, Ritalin use and riding with a drink driver.
More than a third of those questioned watched wrestling with a quarter of boys questioned having watched it six times or more in the previous fortnight.
Prof DuRant was particularly worried about the violence against women shown in wrestling programmes.
"During one wrestling match a man dangled a woman upside down and then dropped her on her head, [seemingly] knocking her unconscious.
"This teaches an adolescent that it is OK to use violence to resolve conflicts and that women deserve abusive treatment."
John Beyer, director of Mediawatch, formerly the Viewers and Listeners' Association, told BBC News Online it was important not to single out wrestling.
But he added: "It contributes to the overall level of violence in the entertainment industry.
"If they are showing correlated factors, the television companies who broadcast wrestling should be aware of it and perhaps consider what they are doing."
Channel 4 was recently warned about showing violent scenes of American wrestling when large numbers of children were watching after the Independent Television Commission upheld complaints about a sequence in which a wrestler threatened a competitor's assistant with a sledgehammer.
Does violence follow boxer when they leave the ring?
Alas, one of many among fighting men. And the third in a month. On 1 July, Alexis Arguello, one of the game's true superstars, a fighter-turned-politician from Nicaragua, who won and never lost three world titles, was found dead at his home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. He was 57.
Ten days later, another ex-world champion, the Canadian Arturo Gatti, once described as the world's most exciting fighter, died while on a family holiday in Brazil, His wife was arrested on suspicion of strangling him with a strap from her handbag but on Friday police released her after it had been established that the 33-year-old Gatti hanged himself.
What is it about boxing that it lends itself to such untimely deaths, through accidents, suicide or homicide? Victims like Oscar Bonavena, the Argentinian who battled Muhammad Ali, shot dead at 33 outside a Nevada brothel in 1976; Trevor Berbick, 52, the last man to fight – and beat – Ali, killed with a crowbar in a church courtyard in Jamaica in 2006; and in London two years ago, the former British and ABA heavyweight champion James Oyebola, like Forrest one of the sport's most decent men, killed in a cowardly attack by youths outside the nightclub where he was a bouncer. The 6ft 9in Obeyola, who was 46 and had retired from boxing 11 years previously, had simply asked them to stop smoking. He was shot in the head and died four days later. His murderers have been convicted.
The litany of disaster stretches back to Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion who died in a car crash in 1946, via Rocky Marciano (plane crash), Randolph Turpin (suicide), Freddie Mills (apparent suicide) and Sonny Liston (unexplained). Ring fatalities, thankfully infrequent, are an occupational hazard but why is it that sport's most brutal business has such a lethal legacy outside the ropes, mostly involving former world champions?
The British promoter Frank Warren is not alone in finding it baffling. "You can't legislate for accidents which happen in all walks of life, but all these deaths are tragic and it does seem a bit above average." Do boxers attract violence because of who they are and what they do? Are they simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? "It's possible, I suppose," says Warren, "but what is worrying is the high number of suicides and I wonder if this is because of depression which may follow the end of their careers when they simply do not know what to do with their lives. Frank Bruno suffered in this way but fortunately he got help."
Freddie Mills (British light-heavyweight, 46) was killed in an allegedly suicide (found shot in his car) but rumoured gangland killing in Soho, 1965. And Randolph Turpin (British middleweight), aged 37, committed suicide near Llandudno, Wales, 1966.
Football hooliganism in England
Football hooliganism is unruly and destructive behaviour — such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation — by association footballclub fans. Fights between supporters of rival teams may take place before or after football matches at pre-arranged locations away from stadiums, in order to avoid arrests by the police, or they can erupt spontaneously at the stadium or in the surrounding streets. Football hooliganism ranges from shouts and fistfights to riots in which firms clash with bats, bottles, rocks, knives or guns. In some cases, stadium brawls have caused fans to flee in panic; some being killed when fences or walls collapsed. In the most extreme cases, hooligans, police, and bystanders have been killed, and riot police have intervened with tear gas, armoured vehicles and water cannons.
A football firm (also known as a hooligan firm) is a gang formed to fight with supporters of other clubs. Some firms, especially in southern and eastern Europe, have been linked with far right politics or racism, other firms have been associated with leftist politics or anti-racism. The firms' political views are not representative of all supporters of the teams. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the casual subculture transformed the British football hooliganism scene. Instead of wearing working class skinhead-style clothes, which readily identified hooligans to the police, firm members began wearing designer clothes and expensive offhand sportswear.
Football hooliganism in England dates back to the 1880s, when what were termed as roughs caused trouble at football matches. Local derby matches would usually have the worst trouble, but in an era when travelling fans were not common, roughs would sometimes attack the referees and the away team's players. Between the two World Wars, football hooliganism diminished to a great extent, and it started to attract media attention in the early 1960s. A moral panic developed because of increased crime rates among juveniles, and because of the mods and rockers conflict. Football matches started to feature regular fights among fans, and the emergence of more organised hooliganism. Fans started to form themselves into groups, mostly drawn from local working areas. They tended to all stand together, usually at the goal-end terrace of their home football ground, which they began to identify as their territory. The development of these ends helped bring about national gang rivalries, focused primarily around football clubs. With the growth of fans travelling to watch their local club play away matches, these gangs became known as hooligan firm, and during matches they focused their attentions on intimidating opposing fans. Some hooligans travelled to games on the Football Specials train services.
Starting in the late 1960s in the United Kingdom, the skinhead and suede head styles were popular among football hooligans. Eventually, the police started cracking down on people wearing typical skinhead clothing styles, so some hooligans changed their image. In the early 1980s, many British hooligans started wearing expensive European designer clothing, to avoid attracting the attention of authorities. This led to the development of the casual subculture. Clothing lines popular with British casuals have included: Le Co Sportif, Burberry, Lacoste, Timberland, Lonsdale, and Ralph Lauren.
Two main events in 1973 led to introduction of crowd segregation and fencing at football grounds in England. Manchester United were relegated to the Second Division, and the Red Army caused mayhem at grounds up and down the country, and a Bolton Wanderers fan stabbed a young Blackpool fan to death behind the Kop at Bloomfield Road during a Second Division match.
On 29 May 1985, 39 Juventus fans were crushed to death during the European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium in Brussels; an event that became known as the Heysel Stadium disaster. As a result of the Heysel Stadium disaster, English clubs were banned from all European competitions until 1990, with Liverpool banned for an additional year. Prime Margaret Thatcher's immediate response was to set up a "War Cabinet" to combat football hooliganism.
Margaret Thatcher, UK Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, made a high-profile public call for the country's football hooligans to be given "stiff" prison sentences to act as a deterrent to others in a bid to clamp down on hooliganism.
On 15 February, 1995, England played Ireland. English fans started to throw items down into the stand below and rip up seats; after battles broke out between police and English fans, 50 people were injured. Rumours of IRA retribution at Dublin Airport never materialised and no fixture has been arranged between the two neighbouring countries since.
In the 2000s, English football hooligans often wear either clothing styles that are stereotypically associated with the "[casual]" subculture, such as items made by Shark and Burberry. Prada and Burberry withdrew certain garments over fears that their brands were becoming linked with hooliganism. English hooligans have begun using Internet forums, phones and text messages to set up fight meetings or provoke rival gangs into brawls. Sometimes fight participants post live commentaries on the Internet.
Football violence in British stadiums declined after the introduction of the Football Spectators Act, and in the 2000s much of the trouble occurred away from stadiums or away at major international tournaments. At Euro 2000, the England team was threatened with expulsion from the tournament, due to the poor behaviour of the fans. Following good behaviour in the Korea-Japan 2002 and Portugal 2004, the English reputation has improved. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, there were limited incidences of violence, with over 200 preventative arrests in Stuttgart (with only three people being charged with criminal offences) 400 others taken into preventative custody. During that day, Police believe that on average each rioter consumed or threw 17 litres of beer.
Despite hooliganism declining domestically, death threats by English hooligans have become more common in the 2000s.Rio Ferdinand was the target of death threats from Leeds United fans, as was Peter Ridsdale. Swedish referee Anders Frisk quit his position after receiving death threats from Chelsea F.C. fans. Reading players Ibrahima Sonko and Stephen Hunt also received death threats from Chelsea fans in 2006. A steward died after serious clashes between firms from Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers after a Carling Cup game in September 2004. It has been documented that most English hooligans are in their late teens or early twenties, although it is not uncommon for older hooligans to take part, usually as leaders. They usually come from working class backgrounds, mainly employed in manual or lower clerical occupations, or (to a lesser extent) are working in the grey market or are unemployed.
On-pitch Violence is a real danger to cricket
Fighting on the field is the next big threat to cricket, the game's rulers have been warned.
After a year of damaging flashpoints, including the name-calling confrontation between India's Harbhajan Singh and Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds in Sydney three months ago, one of the sport's most powerful voices fears that punches, rather than insults, will be traded soon unless action is taken.
"I fear the day is approaching when a high-profile, televised cricket match will see an outbreak of physical violence on the field," claims Scyld Berry in his editorial notes of this year's edition of the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.
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But it is his warning about deteriorating behaviour - and where it could end - that should sound alarm bells.
"The amount of money coming into the game seems unending, but growth would be halted and reversed if cricketers were seen to be fighting," writes Berry.
January's 'Bollyline' battle of Sydney, which almost ended with India abandoning their tour, was the most dramatic example but, as Berry points out, it was by no means the only flare-up during the past 12 months.
While the Trent Bridge 'jellybean' affair involved only aggressive gesturing on the part of Indian's Zaheer Khan, Wisden identifies other examples of rivals getting up close - too close.
"Last year saw an alarming increase in the amount of physical contact between batsman and bowler," writes Berry. "[England's] James Anderson was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for 'inappropriate and deliberate physical contact' with Runako Morton [West Indies].
"Paul Hoffman, of Scotland, barged into Canada's opening batsman Abdool Samad so forcefully that Samad needed four minutes of on-pitch treatment.
"But the worst example came when [India batsman] Gautam Gambhir ran straight down the pitch and straight into [Pakistan bowler] Shahid Afridi."
Berry insists it is now up to the International Cricket Council to take action to prevent physical violence. "For once this taboo is broken it could rapidly spread, just as sledging - sustained personal abuse - has spread from international teams downwards," he warns.
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