-
IELTS Topic: SPORTS
Reading 1
Should sports stars be role models?
Original source: The Age
Is it fair to expect more of elite athletes compared to others who work in the sports industry and, indeed, the rest of society?
There are those who believe athletes should be held to a higher account than the average Joe on the street. They see popular sports people as role models who their kids aspire to be like, which is different to simply being someone kids want to play like.
For some athletes, such as former NBA star Charles Barkley, this is grossly unfair. He once declared that he was “not paid to be a role model” and that “parents should be role models”.
American basketball star Charles Barkley did not believe athletes should be role models but signed lucrative deals to profit from his influence. seeshooteatrepeat/ Shutterstock
But fair or not, of course athletes are role models. It’s hard to deny they don’t have great influence. And, like it or not, with this influence comes great responsibility.
Athletes have the ability to shape opinion, change behaviour and influence decision-making. For the most part, athletes play a very positive role in influencing their fans.
Of course athletes are role models … with this influence comes great responsibility
Just last weekend, some of the AFL’s biggest names rallied around indigenous star Eddie Betts after he was the subject of a racist slur on Twitter.
Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield and Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood were just two big name players to publicly declare their support of Betts, lambasting the tweet.
Dangerfield, who has more than 102,000 Twitter followers and 177,000 Instagram followers, took to his social media channels to label it “Disgusting. Cowardly. Racist.” At last count his Instagram post had generated more than 17,000 likes.
Professional athletes know their strong comments can have a positive effect when it comes to the evolution of our social norms and expectations.
But of course, athletes with influence don’t miss out on the perks either.
The most popular and well-known athletes can use their influence for their own financial benefit. Many of them sign endorsement deals and sponsorships, sometimes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions, to promote and spruik various products and services.
Of course, kids have other, more important role models too, such as parents and junior coaches. And it’s true that not all fans will simply buy a product because their sporting hero told them to.
Athletes with influence don’t miss out with the perks … many sign endorsement deals and sponsorships … worth millions
But some will. Which means you can’t have it both ways. If athletes can influence their fans when it comes to social issues and consumer decisions, they have to accept their poor choices and actions might have an impact too.
This level of influence comes with great responsibility in what they say and do. In fact, it makes them role models.