In TEXT 1, Jeanette Winterson extols the virtues of the arts, arguing that artistic activities are beneficial both for individuals and for society in general. She also gives her views on the relationship between art and money. Write an opinion piece, suitable for publication in a broadsheet newspaper, in which you extol the varied virtues of sport, put forward a reasoned argument to persuade readers that sport benefits both individuals and society, and give your views on the appropriate relationship between sport and money.
“Sport teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.” These were the words of American Tennis player Bille Jean King and they echo across all sports.
Kids across the world participate in sport and it is one of the greatest gifts that parents can give their children. Working as part of a team, learning to win and lose with dignity and most of all, having fun are some of the greatest skills that kids can learn. These skills will benefit them throughout their life. Studies show that those who participate in sport are more likely to be happier in school, more ambitious in their careers and are ten times less likely to develop heart related problems than those who are not involved in sport.
It is not just individuals who benefit from sport. Society as a whole benefits from sport in so many ways. When people are involved in sport, their general health is much better than those who are sedentary. This has a knock on effect on our health services and our mental health services. The cost of running our health service has spiraled out of control in recent years, due to the high level of obesity in Ireland. Having more people involved in sport reduces the risk of obesity by 67% and by extension, reduces the burden on our health system.
Mental health issues among the general population is on the rise in Ireland. Recent studies suggest that those who play sport are far less likely to develop mental health issues and this takes pressure off the limited resources we have for mental health services in Ireland.
The other huge benefit to society is the joy that sport brings, either by participating or watching it. Who can forget the unmistakable feeling of euphoria that was felt when Ireland qualified for the last sixteen of the Euros in 2016, when Robbie Brady put the ball in the back of the Italian net? These moments of ecstasy bind us together and give us so much joy that it offers an escape from the dreary routine of day to day life. What price can you put on the joy that people get from winning in the world of sport? This brings us to our next point, which is the growing problem of money and sport.
Recently, we have seen the phenomenon of sports washing becoming a huge issue, especially in the Premier League. Most young people today don’t realise that Man City were a poor club until Oil Barons from the UAE government bought them in 2008. Saudi Arabia followed suit by buying Newcastle in 2020. These regimes have stockpiles of money but are the perpetrators of some of the worst forms of human rights abuses in the world. Surely their fans can’t turn a blind eye to the terrible deeds carried out by these governments just because they spend a few million on new players?
Qatar hosted the world Cup in 2022. Homosexuality is banned in this country but they still got to be hosts because they are a wealthy country. They bought the rights to the World Cup and the bidding process was engulfed in controversy.
Jordan Henderson, the England captain spoke up about this during the tournament, yet he then went and joined the Saudi league for obscene amounts of money. What happened to his support of the LGBTQ community? Sport and money should not be mixed. When a young Jordan Henderson played in his back garden, do you think he dreamed of playing in Saudi Arabia? Money is ruining football but that does not take away from the value of sport to individuals around the world.
Millions of kids around the world playing in their own little world cup on a Saturday morning is where you’ll see the true value of sport, not in the glamorous stadia where money is the new God.
Enda's English Notes 