A Cultural Analysis of Athletics and the Controversial Changes to the 2020 Diamond League Program unchanged for decades. The history of athletics is deeply rooted in Eurocentric, white, male-dominated beliefs and behaviors, unlike the sport's current demographics. Especially since the Americas and African countries (all of which have very diverse populations) dominate athletics, these values must be left aside. The extensive control that World Athletics (the governing body of athletics) exercises over its athletes illustrates the concept of bio-power. The changes to the Diamond League schedule are a prime example of the lack of progressiveness in the sport. If World Athletics wishes to successfully evolve beyond a Usain Bolt-centric marketing strategy, upsetting some of its current most successful athletes of all time is not the best way to start the journey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAthletics, as an event, is deeply rooted in the history of organized sport and the modern Olympic Games. The first modern Olympic Games, held in 1896, marked the beginning of the sport's expansion onto an international platform outside of Europe and the United States. One would have to assume that the British Commonwealth is a major reason for the sport's current popularity. In 2010, the Diamond League competition circuit was created to provide athletics with a competitive season rather than the independent competition format it had operated with for so long. The prize money for winning the final represented one of the largest sums of money a track and field athlete could earn, and the money invested in the organization began to show, when countries like the Qatar and Morocco have started hosting competitions. This is becoming a popular trend in athletics, where Middle Eastern countries are investing large sums of money in building state-of-the-art facilities for athletics events and, in return, are able to host international competitions like the world championships (which took place in Doha). , Qatar in October 2019) that they would never have been able or willing to welcome before. The controversy surrounding the 2020 Diamond League schedule has recently made headlines and caused an uproar within the sports community. It was announced that four events (200m, triple jump, discus throw and 3000m steeplechase) would all be completely removed from the Diamond League program, with the exception of a few competitions at one or two mid-level competitions. -season. Many reasons have been given for removing these events, but the main reason is that they were the least popular in terms of TV viewership in recent years. This newly compacted schedule would be more suitable for television, as World Athletics attempts to make competitions more prime-time-friendly, hoping it will generate more interest among viewers who don't normally watch athletics. Following Usain Bolt's retirement, there was a huge void left in the world of athletics as the main event star was not there to provide popularity. Today, World Athletics is trying to change the building blocks of the sport to make it more attractive. The unfortunate side of this idea is that by eliminatingThese events, the organization excluded 20% of the athletes who would compete next season, because some 200m runners, and almost all discus throwers, triple jumpers and steeplechase runners are not participating in the competition. in other events. The sport of track and field, which just lost Usain Bolt and is trying to increase its popularity to a higher level than ever, is facing challenges on how to accomplish this task. Athletes are the unfortunate ones who must pay the price of difficultly managing sport because they lack the representation to participate in decisions about their future. This article will examine the diverse cultures, beliefs and values inherent in World Athletics, and offer ideas and potential reasons for the actions of athletics governing bodies. Description of the problem Most of these recent changes in the sport's identity have come on the back of Usain Bolt retiring. Usain Bolt was the superstar sprinter of the athletics world for the last 10-15 years and facilitated the commercialization of the sport by World Athletics (IAAF at the time). Major championships were scheduled around Bolt's events as he found success. In the same way that Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA, Usain Bolt and his Jamaican relay team dominated track and field. Since Bolt, no one has really stepped up to the plate and taken his place as the sport's star athlete. Many Americans achieve results close to Bolt's level, but the fame and notoriety factor was just as important to his success. Overall, Bolt's retirement started the downward spiral of athletics' notoriety in the sporting world, and so World Athletics now begins to exercise its power to change the sport as it sees fit. is Bio-power. Biopower is defined as the way in which a governing body controls the physical lives and experiences of its members through practices and constraints. Firstly, athletics is already a very constrained sport by nature. The way throwers are limited to a small 7 or 8 foot circle and relay teams are forced to run and pass the baton within certain limits is very controlling. Track and field athletes are expected to demonstrate the purest form of athletic ability such as strength and speed, but only if they follow the rules of the sport. I understand that the only way to truly measure another person's success is to put them both on the same playing field, and I'm not saying that is wrong, however, some rules discriminate against certain athletes and their bodies. The size of the shot put circle requires tall throwers to shorten their stride through the circle. Additionally, the height of the hurdles discriminates against shorter athletes who would likely not be as successful due to their physical disadvantage. The two elements of Bio-power (the discourse of the body as a machine and the species body of a population) are called upon in these limitations imposed on the body. Athletics, being predominantly African in the distance events and Caribbean American, dominated in the sprint events, have an inherent racism rooted in their culture. Athletics is a very European dominated sport. Between the predominantly British commentary team (who are known for making sexist and racist comments), the predominantly European governing body, and the consistently high ratings and fan interest in Europe, the xenophobic nature of many European countries is evident. often found in sport. I'm not saying these are the main reasons behind World's actions.Athletics, because it would be obvious that discriminatory actions were taking place. However, the triple jump, 200 meters and steeplechase are all dominated by black athletes due to which countries tend to have the most success in these events. Racism or discrimination is probably not the reason for the change in the Diamond League program. However, the likelihood of a historically European sport having racist tendencies is likely, and other aspects of the sport may be heavily affected by this fact. Thus, the power that athletes possess in their athletic careers is immediately taken away from them due to these racist tendencies. Stereotypes such as biological superiority, the primitiveness of sport and the nature of black people, and the obsession that sport can save a black North American from hardship all disempower these athletes and enable the governing body to recover and abuse it. Young's ideas about the animal-sport complex got me thinking about whether this complex applies to human athletes. Young says animals have been part of sport for most of history and humans view them as competitors, but less important due to the speciesism of human culture. I feel like this view applies to all human athletes in general. Professional athletes playing their sport could be considered circus animals based on a variety of things. For example, the layout of sports arenas (the stands are higher with the playing surface in the middle), betting on match results and the fact that athletes are controlled by other people in the form of referees and governing bodies of all remove a certain amount of human characteristics in an athlete. Thus, all sports, and especially athletics, tend to present athletes in an animalistic manner. Track and field athletes display a level of pure athletic ability, such as speed and/or strength, that is unlike any other sport. Horse and dog racing provide the best and closest comparisons to track racing, providing proof that humans are considered animals when competing in a purely skill-based sporting event, such as running, jumping or throwing. The repercussions of eliminating certain events from the program involve the potential loss of income for many athletes. Diamond League events consistently offer higher payouts to successful athletes than almost any athletics competition. Not only are athletes disappointed at not being able to participate in this major event, but the most talented athletes now have to give up some gains they surely would have received. Grossberg (1989) emphasizes that power structures social life in all its forms. Power, namely the power possessed by the ruling body, can shape structural inequalities into whatever restrictive or productive image they desire. The glaring lack of fair treatment in events has been evident since athletics became a mainstream sport. As a pitcher, I have experienced the inequality described for many years. Instances such as no one watching your event and only watching the sprints, being forced to throw outside the stadium due to lack of proper infrastructure for field events, or not make national teams because sprinters can compete in multiple events but most javelin throwers I can't do it, I don't care how throwers are sidelined due to structures of.2014-0140

Essay / A Cultural Analysis of Athletics and the Controversial Changes to the 2020 Diamond League Program unchanged for decades. The history of athletics is deeply rooted in Eurocentric, white, male-dominated beliefs and behaviors, unlike the sport's current demographics. Especially since the Americas and African countries (all of which have very diverse populations) dominate athletics, these values must be left aside. The extensive control that World Athletics (the governing body of athletics) exercises over its athletes illustrates the concept of bio-power. The changes to the Diamond League schedule are a prime example of the lack of progressiveness in the sport. If World Athletics wishes to successfully evolve beyond a Usain Bolt-centric marketing strategy, upsetting some of its current most successful athletes of all time is not the best way to start the journey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAthletics, as an event, is deeply rooted in the history of organized sport and the modern Olympic Games. The first modern Olympic Games, held in 1896, marked the beginning of the sport's expansion onto an international platform outside of Europe and the United States. One would have to assume that the British Commonwealth is a major reason for the sport's current popularity. In 2010, the Diamond League competition circuit was created to provide athletics with a competitive season rather than the independent competition format it had operated with for so long. The prize money for winning the final represented one of the largest sums of money a track and field athlete could earn, and the money invested in the organization began to show, when countries like the Qatar and Morocco have started hosting competitions. This is becoming a popular trend in athletics, where Middle Eastern countries are investing large sums of money in building state-of-the-art facilities for athletics events and, in return, are able to host international competitions like the world championships (which took place in Doha). , Qatar in October 2019) that they would never have been able or willing to welcome before. The controversy surrounding the 2020 Diamond League schedule has recently made headlines and caused an uproar within the sports community. It was announced that four events (200m, triple jump, discus throw and 3000m steeplechase) would all be completely removed from the Diamond League program, with the exception of a few competitions at one or two mid-level competitions. -season. Many reasons have been given for removing these events, but the main reason is that they were the least popular in terms of TV viewership in recent years. This newly compacted schedule would be more suitable for television, as World Athletics attempts to make competitions more prime-time-friendly, hoping it will generate more interest among viewers who don't normally watch athletics. Following Usain Bolt's retirement, there was a huge void left in the world of athletics as the main event star was not there to provide popularity. Today, World Athletics is trying to change the building blocks of the sport to make it more attractive. The unfortunate side of this idea is that by eliminatingThese events, the organization excluded 20% of the athletes who would compete next season, because some 200m runners, and almost all discus throwers, triple jumpers and steeplechase runners are not participating in the competition. in other events. The sport of track and field, which just lost Usain Bolt and is trying to increase its popularity to a higher level than ever, is facing challenges on how to accomplish this task. Athletes are the unfortunate ones who must pay the price of difficultly managing sport because they lack the representation to participate in decisions about their future. This article will examine the diverse cultures, beliefs and values inherent in World Athletics, and offer ideas and potential reasons for the actions of athletics governing bodies. Description of the problem Most of these recent changes in the sport's identity have come on the back of Usain Bolt retiring. Usain Bolt was the superstar sprinter of the athletics world for the last 10-15 years and facilitated the commercialization of the sport by World Athletics (IAAF at the time). Major championships were scheduled around Bolt's events as he found success. In the same way that Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA, Usain Bolt and his Jamaican relay team dominated track and field. Since Bolt, no one has really stepped up to the plate and taken his place as the sport's star athlete. Many Americans achieve results close to Bolt's level, but the fame and notoriety factor was just as important to his success. Overall, Bolt's retirement started the downward spiral of athletics' notoriety in the sporting world, and so World Athletics now begins to exercise its power to change the sport as it sees fit. is Bio-power. Biopower is defined as the way in which a governing body controls the physical lives and experiences of its members through practices and constraints. Firstly, athletics is already a very constrained sport by nature. The way throwers are limited to a small 7 or 8 foot circle and relay teams are forced to run and pass the baton within certain limits is very controlling. Track and field athletes are expected to demonstrate the purest form of athletic ability such as strength and speed, but only if they follow the rules of the sport. I understand that the only way to truly measure another person's success is to put them both on the same playing field, and I'm not saying that is wrong, however, some rules discriminate against certain athletes and their bodies. The size of the shot put circle requires tall throwers to shorten their stride through the circle. Additionally, the height of the hurdles discriminates against shorter athletes who would likely not be as successful due to their physical disadvantage. The two elements of Bio-power (the discourse of the body as a machine and the species body of a population) are called upon in these limitations imposed on the body. Athletics, being predominantly African in the distance events and Caribbean American, dominated in the sprint events, have an inherent racism rooted in their culture. Athletics is a very European dominated sport. Between the predominantly British commentary team (who are known for making sexist and racist comments), the predominantly European governing body, and the consistently high ratings and fan interest in Europe, the xenophobic nature of many European countries is evident. often found in sport. I'm not saying these are the main reasons behind World's actions.Athletics, because it would be obvious that discriminatory actions were taking place. However, the triple jump, 200 meters and steeplechase are all dominated by black athletes due to which countries tend to have the most success in these events. Racism or discrimination is probably not the reason for the change in the Diamond League program. However, the likelihood of a historically European sport having racist tendencies is likely, and other aspects of the sport may be heavily affected by this fact. Thus, the power that athletes possess in their athletic careers is immediately taken away from them due to these racist tendencies. Stereotypes such as biological superiority, the primitiveness of sport and the nature of black people, and the obsession that sport can save a black North American from hardship all disempower these athletes and enable the governing body to recover and abuse it. Young's ideas about the animal-sport complex got me thinking about whether this complex applies to human athletes. Young says animals have been part of sport for most of history and humans view them as competitors, but less important due to the speciesism of human culture. I feel like this view applies to all human athletes in general. Professional athletes playing their sport could be considered circus animals based on a variety of things. For example, the layout of sports arenas (the stands are higher with the playing surface in the middle), betting on match results and the fact that athletes are controlled by other people in the form of referees and governing bodies of all remove a certain amount of human characteristics in an athlete. Thus, all sports, and especially athletics, tend to present athletes in an animalistic manner. Track and field athletes display a level of pure athletic ability, such as speed and/or strength, that is unlike any other sport. Horse and dog racing provide the best and closest comparisons to track racing, providing proof that humans are considered animals when competing in a purely skill-based sporting event, such as running, jumping or throwing. The repercussions of eliminating certain events from the program involve the potential loss of income for many athletes. Diamond League events consistently offer higher payouts to successful athletes than almost any athletics competition. Not only are athletes disappointed at not being able to participate in this major event, but the most talented athletes now have to give up some gains they surely would have received. Grossberg (1989) emphasizes that power structures social life in all its forms. Power, namely the power possessed by the ruling body, can shape structural inequalities into whatever restrictive or productive image they desire. The glaring lack of fair treatment in events has been evident since athletics became a mainstream sport. As a pitcher, I have experienced the inequality described for many years. Instances such as no one watching your event and only watching the sprints, being forced to throw outside the stadium due to lack of proper infrastructure for field events, or not make national teams because sprinters can compete in multiple events but most javelin throwers I can't do it, I don't care how throwers are sidelined due to structures of.2014-0140

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