Violence in sports

[coqlax]

Im doing a debate project in my english class and i was wondering whether you agree or disagree on the subject, and why you feel this way.

Violence in sports should be handled within the league.

basicly the consequences of a violent act during a game in any sport should only be handled by the league and not by the government (lawsuits)

thanks.

[LaxPirate5]

I agree. In my law studies class we've been discussing what constitutes a law. Assault and battery are two examples we've been using. We talked about how that to be guilty of a crime you must commit each element of that law. So basically if there is a violent act in a sporting event it isn't battery because it does not consist of all the elements. The players are willifully putting themselves at risk. This is why there can be no arrest made atleast. However, it is up to the league to disicpline the player(s) involved. I feel that it is the leagues responsibility to make an example for children watching as well as other players that such behavior is unacceptable.

[cali feeder]

I absolutely agree. The league, in my opinion, should act as the governing body over its players, coaches, etc.

[coqlax]

some exmples of what im trying to say is the tod bertuzzi sucker punch and how he was penalized by the league and then moore suied(sp) him and many other people
after the league had delat with it

[Riot]

I think that as long as the league deals with it in a responsible manner, and it's not way over the top, it should be dealt with in the league.

[Warrior]

I disagree, An arguement was stated that the player is on the field so he acknowledges the risk of playing that sport, what happens when the sport gets a little out of control and a pro game turns into a brawl? What happens when a hockey player gets beat with a stick and gets seriously hurt? Thats not part of the game, and the moron who hurt the guy should have more then a fine and some bench time. If you were the poor sap who's in a wheelchair for the rest of your life because someone else can't take losing how is that fair to you?

LaxPirate, while you are right that you are putting yourself at risk when you play that does not cover this topic. That is saying if you play contact football you put yourself on the field so you are taking the risk yourself. When you step on the field you are giving what is called "Implied Consent". This means you consent to be tackled and blocked and thrown around and you can't sue if you get tackled and break your arm or something.

If at that same game however another player were to rip your helmet off and beat you to a pulp, you could sue. And the "Implied Consent" defense wouldn't hold up. You consent to being tackled, but when you step on the field to play football you don't expect to be beaten up... Its not part of the game.

[HdGLaxWarrior]

wow, i strongly disagree... if i was the guy eric cantona drop kicked in the stands, i would've defanately sued him! i mean unless the league would give me as much as the gov't would do, then i guess i'll agree.

[sticksave23]

this reminds me, I remember seeing on the news last year or maybe the year before or something about about a hockey match.
A player broke anothers neck when he hit him from behind and pushed his head into the ice.
if its something unsportsman like and completely outside of the rules I think that it might have to be handled outside of the league, if a punishment handed down by the league doesnt match up with the what happened, like breaking someones neck when it wasnt just a check gone wrong

[Hackstall]

I believe that violence in sports should sometimes, but not always, be handled by the governing body. Some instances of violence in sports transcend the authority of the governing body in that they don't have the power or authority to give remedies that the legal system can. For instance, a league can fine or suspend players, but they can't imprison or award a victim money for injuries suffered as a result of conduct well outside the rules of the game. Often the case is that a player is suspended for only a fraction of the time that the victim misses games due to injury. Sure, the injured player still gets paid or receives insurance payments, but why shouldn't the insurer be able to sue the perpetrator of the violence much like they sue an at fault driver to recover their losses?

In a sport like hockey, it is assumed that when a player steps on the ice, that they consent to some sort of bodily harm...much like two people who enter a fight consent to possibly getting beat up. But in both cases, they both do not consent to serious injury that could threaten their life or career. So when these cases are brought before the courts, the court should take into consideration that the players have consented to possibly being injured, but if the attack goes way above that, then the perpetrator should be punished by the legal system if the league does not have the authority to dish out the proper punishment.

Basically what I am saying is that sometimes the act goes way beyond the governing body's ability to properly address a situation and that is where the legal system should step in, because the legal system has more expertise in handling these situations.

The leagues such as the NHL, need to stop it with this old boys club type stuff where a player can do anything and is protected from the legal system by the league. That way, players will think a bit more about their actions if they know that they might be sued or go to jail instead of just fined or suspended.

[coqlax]

wow, i strongly disagree... if i was the guy eric cantona drop kicked in the stands, i would've defanately sued him! i mean unless the league would give me as much as the gov't would do, then i guess i'll agree.
i mean player on player violence not player and spectator

[kingdawgell]

some exmples of what im trying to say is the tod bertuzzi sucker punch and how he was penalized by the league and then moore suied(sp) him and many other people
after the league had delat with it
after the league dealt with it? they suspended him for the rest of the season. THAT'S IT. steve moore won't be playing in the nhl any time soon. for a rookie who has spent his entire life working his *** off to get into the nhl, and then to have a veteran of the league cut his dreams short, and to not be able to sue is just crazy. and the league doesn't always deal with stuff fairly. you can't honestly tell me that if the attacker of steve moore was rookie Joe Somebody who's been on the fourth line all season, that he would not have had a more serious punishment

[LameR]

So, what if a player killed another player? Seriously, I want to know what happens there. A lifetime ban? Big deal. That's where you actually would need legal action.

[czechinthepipes]

i totally agree with warrior, he hit it perfectly right on the nose. when u play a sport u sign paper work that u consent that you could get hurt, u dont consent to have some guy that is too immarture to get over a lose and beat the crap out of some one. in that case you should be able to sue and the government should take over the case on how serious the situation was.

[HdGLaxWarrior]

So, what if a player killed another player? Seriously, I want to know what happens there. A lifetime ban? Big deal. That's where you actually would need legal action.

i agree 100%. there is no way the league could handle everything...

[faceofflax15]

Violence in sport's can be okay though.
Without fights in hockey; It would be a lot less intresting to watch and games have been won and lost through fight's.. They actually increase Team morale and Auidence excitment.
It boost's the attendance and viewage of the sport. As for middle school and highschool sport's, it shouldnt be aloud if there is any sort of injury. Also it should be the persons choice, to pursuit pressing charges or not.

[czechinthepipes]

your right about the its the persons choice to press charges. but for true hockey fans its a disgrace or atleast IMO. i dont want sports for fighting if i did then id rather watch boxing which is the point of the sport. seeing people fight in hockey is dumb and the people who watch hockey because of that reason arent true fans so it doesnt matter if attendace is high. IMO