Does the conduct of sportsman affect the way our children behave?Throughout the world in major sports famous sports men and women are revered by their fans.
A not insignificant portion of the fan base is made up of children.
These not only idolize their favorite sports men and women, but also they copy what they do.
The tips, tricks, and tactics used by favorite sports people are mimicked by young fans throughout the world.
But what about the abuse, bad language and poor conduct?In a number of sports, aggression is part of the game.
In others it is not.
It is a fine line between what is useful aggression and what is simply bad behavior or gross misconduct.
For children, what goes on on the pitch on a Saturday is played out in the playground on a Monday.
The word "creep" comes to mind--meaning that gradually bad behavior and abhorrent conduct gradually becomes the norm.
It is then that society can start to break down and in many places in the world, it has done already.
Building a connection between the behavior of athletes and sports people and the behavior of ordinary people in the street, especially youngsters, is difficult and fraught with danger and complex issues.
An immediate correlation cannot be had and, even if it did come to light, there are so many confounding factors and people willing to dispute the evidence.
Why not, more simply, just accept the fact that it may happen even if it isn't fully proven.
Sports men and sports women who are idolized by their fans should at least, considering their large salaries, try to behave in an exemplary way while on their sports field or court.
Perhaps by setting an example to their fan base they may indirectly help the conduct of youngsters and other people in the communities.