THE lifetime ban imposed on a Harrington player for abusing a referee during a recent Hastings League match has ignited heated discussion about the social impacts of abusive and violent behaviour on and off the sports field.
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Australia has embedded sport at the foundation of who we are – it contributes to the essence of the Aussie spirit. It remains the space where we continue to build upon an identity shaped by the values of mateship, determination, resilience, loyalty and possessing the strength to overcome the odds. We love the underdog and are inspired by our champions.
But is this a true reflection of what we are seeing at weekend sporting fixtures? Are we seeing our national sporting representatives leading the way and setting an example?
Sport is more than just a game. The behaviour we continue to see on and off the field reflects what we are prepared to implicitly accept as normal – because we have accepted that it is just part of the game. If you take the sport away – does that acceptance of aggression, violence and abuse change?
Referee Rod Copp now faces a tense wait and series of health checks to ensure the match incident that resulted in him being spat at will not have any long-term consequences. Add to that, he was verbally abused and threatened off the field by spectators. Is this acceptable because it is just ‘part of the game’?
When abusive and threatening behaviour occurs on the street, or within one’s home, why do we rightly take these acts more seriously? Regardless of where they occur, this sort of behaviour is unacceptable.
Acceptance of violence and abuse on the sporting field makes each of us complicit in the acceptance of that behaviour more broadly in our community and within our homes. The ‘boys will be boys’ attitude does our young men no favours, nor does it show them an alternative way to behave.
And the behaviour is not just isolated on field either. Spectators and parents of children competing at a junior level are equally responsible for nurturing positive attitudes. There is nothing more revolting than having a Saturday morning soccer match marred by a parent or coach yelling abuse at a child.
Football NSW is one code leading the way with one of its largest clubs, the North Shore Football Association, hosting a Silence on the Sidelines weekend. The objective – keep your mouth shut, offer encouragement and just enjoy the game.
