Deviance in Sport

          

  In class on March 31, 2015, we talked about deviance in sport. Deviance can be defined as an act or person that differs from the norm, especially behavior or attitudes that differ from acceptable social standards. There are several examples of deviance in sport including fighting, performance-enhancing drugs, and gambling. In the real world, athletes have higher rates of alcohol use and binge drinking. Even though felony rates are not out of control, athletes do tend to constitute a problem in domestic violence. There are also issues with studying deviance. It is illegal to fight someone out on the streets, yet hockey players will square off in games and only receive five-minute penalties. Also, aggression is encouraged in sports like hockey and football, but is not proper behavior outside of sports. These are some of the various issues that have to do with deviance in sports.

            Recently, former New Orleans Saints’ safety Darren Sharper pleaded guilty to sexual assault. He was accused of raping two women in California after he had given them an alcoholic beverage with which he added a sedative. He is expected to serve only nine years of a 20-year sentence. He also noted that he assaulted a woman in Phoenix in 2013. This article makes sense for this topic because Darren Sharper did not leave the violence and aggressiveness on the field. He is just another example of the many current and former NFL players who have sexually assaulted others.

Link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/03/23/darren-sharper-plea-deal-rape-sentenced-los-angeles-phoenix-las-vegas-new-orleans/70326360/