What is a sport?

[Neilds]

With the Olympics coming up and also taking from the darts thread, what do people use as their definition for a sport? I have heard the one about " If you need to change your shoes to do it, then it is a sport", wondered if there were any others?
Also, I struggle with events that are based on artistic scoring (ice skating, diving, gymnastics) as opposed to longest, fastest, etc but I have no doubt that diving and gymnastics are more a sport for the Olympics than darts.

 

[Whereditgo]

I'm not a fan of events where the result is a judgement either, for me even someone unfamiliar with the sport should be able to tell who won.

I always enjoyed the Olympics as it was an opportunity to see some minority sports that wouldn't usually be broadcast. The Olympics started to lose their appeal to me when sports were introduced that winning a gold medal was not the pinnacle of that sport.

 

[crdb]

I wouldn't say darts is a sport, its a game where the best players don't need to be athletic. I'm not taking away from the talent they have & practice they have put in over the years

 

[Slab]

The shoes thing kinda works but things like bowling sneak under the wire and it’s definitely a game not a sport

For me I just assume most activities are 'games' and its just the physical extent of players that makes some games also a sport (& the definition how physical is a bit fluid)

 

[PaulMdj]

I always viewed it as the pinnacle of Amatuer sports.

Having professional athletes appear makes it just another “world championship” for me.

I believe there is a difference between full time amatuers and professionals.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

It’s a form of exercise using physical exertion and or skill to compete as a single or in a team against someone else

And that includes when someone is performing a skill that is judged


As for what should be in the Olympics

Any sport where the Olympic gold is the pinnacle for that sport so imo

Tennis , Golf , Football , rugby 7’s etc shouldn’t be in the Olympics

 

[Neilds]

It’s a form of exercise using physical exertion and or skill to compete as a single or in a team against someone else

And that includes when someone is performing a skill that is judged


As for what should be in the Olympics

Any sport where the Olympic gold is the pinnacle for that sport so imo

Tennis , Golf , Football , rugby 7’s etc shouldn’t be in the Olympics

So breakdancing is a sport? Fits your definition but I certainly don't think it classifies as a sport.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

So breakdancing is a sport? Fits your definition but I certainly don't think it classifies as a sport.

Yes it is - why wouldn’t it be , you are competing against someone else and using skill and physical exertion - very little different to a floor routine in Gymnastics

 

[HomerJSimpson]

This is one dictionary definition https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/sport

 

[Beezerk]

So breakdancing is a sport? Fits your definition but I certainly don't think it classifies as a sport.

I agree, ball dancing isn’t a sport either imo but it takes a lot of physical exertion.

 

[GB72]

To me if you are going to include anything where the result is subjective against a set of criteria then breakdancing is fine as it is no more or less a sport than gymnastics, diving or ice dancing at the winter olympics.

I agree that to be an Olympic sport then it should be seen as the pinnacle of achievement.

As for things like darts and snooker, is that any more or less skilled or physical than archery or shooting.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I could form a sentence or two defining a sport, but the thing I find impossible to do is list or define what are not sports.

Yoga is a physical discipline and some form of judging could be introduced to produce a winner.
Chess is a competition of skill where the winner is clearly defined and not judged.
But I am undecided whether either of these is a sport.

In horse racing the winner is usually declared as the name of the horse, but show in jumping it is usually the rider that gets a gold medal. I find that odd.
Motor racing should give credit to the best vehicle as much as the driver.
Golf can be won by the best player or the one with the best clubs or a combination of those two elements. Or are all clubs pretty much the same?

But all these games and activities have a set of rules to abide by and an outcome of a winner. In practicality that is all that is needed.

As for breakdancing - I think breaking wind would be a better Olympic event. I'm world class at that one.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Something that we do for pleasure and recreation, rather than essentially for living and life, that we do or can do competitively.

 

[jim8flog]

getting out of bed in the morning

 

[jim8flog]

Sorry that is just a challenge

 

[Beezerk]

Something that we do for pleasure and recreation, rather than essentially for living and life, that we do or can do competitively.

Professional food eaters?

 

[Voyager EMH]

Professional food eaters?

I can eat fifty eggs.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think sport can be defined as physical contests pursued for the goals and challenges they entail. To that end breakdancing could well be considered a sport every bit as much as darts. What should form an olympic sport is clearly open to conjecture and you only have to look at what has joined in the last few and what was in before over the years to see that it has had a deep tapestry

 

[Imurg]

I can eat fifty eggs.

Caviar doesn't count...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can eat fifty eggs.

Wouldn't want to be down wind after that