Chapter 6

Ethics & Fair Play ⚖️

Ethics, codes of conduct, sportsmanship vs gamesmanship, PEDs, anti-doping and supplements.

🔑

Core Definitions — Ethics & Principles

🔑 KEY Ethics in Sport

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📖 Official Definition: A set of values and principles that governs an athlete's behaviour while participating in sport.

Think of ethics as the unwritten rulebook — things that aren't in the actual rule book but that everyone agrees is the right way to behave. It's about being a decent person while playing.

🎭 Analogy: The actual rules of a sport are like traffic laws — you must follow them or you'll be penalised. Ethics are like general road courtesy — letting someone merge, waving a thank you. Nobody forces you, but it keeps everything running smoothly and pleasantly.

💡 Memory Trick: "Ethics = Etiquette with a capital E". Etiquette is good manners; Ethics is good behaviour in sport. Both start with 'E' and are about doing what's right even when no one's watching.

🔑 KEY Integrity

▼

📖 Official Definition: Acting in a way that is consistent with the values and principles of the sport. Positive conduct by athletes, administrators, officials, supporters and other stakeholders, on and off the sporting field, which enhances the reputation and standing of sport.

Integrity is about being honest and trustworthy — even when nobody would know if you cheated. It's the quality that makes others trust you. In sport, it includes honesty about whether you fouled someone, or whether the ball was in or out.

🎭 Analogy: Imagine you found a €50 note and the owner is nearby. Returning it even though you could keep it — that's integrity. In sport: telling the referee the ball went out even when you didn't need to.

💡 Memory Trick: "INtegrity = INside + honest". You behave well on the INside (when no one is watching), not just for show. An integer is a whole number — integrity means being a WHOLE good person.

✏️ Exam Example: When Thierry Henry deliberately handled the ball vs. Ireland in 2010 — that was an integrity violation. He admitted it afterwards but did not call it back at the time.

🔑 KEY Respect

▼

📖 Official Definition: Showing regard for the rules and displaying acceptable behaviour towards opponents, officials, coaches and fans. Having consideration for oneself, others and the wider environment.

Respect means treating everyone in sport with dignity — your opponents, the referee, the crowd, and yourself. It's accepting the referee's decisions even if you disagree. Three groups must show respect: Athletes → teammates, opponents, coaches & officials. Coaches → players, opponents & officials. Fans → other fans, both teams & officials.

🎭 Analogy: Respect in sport is like a three-legged stool — if any one leg (athlete, coach, fan) fails, the whole thing falls over. All three must respect each other for sport to work properly.

💡 Memory Trick: R-E-S-P-E-C-T — Remember Everyone's a Sporting Person, Every Competitor Too! All three groups: athletes, coaches, fans.

🔑 KEY Fairness

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📖 Official Definition: Treating everyone within sport equally and impartially. Involves following the rules. Essential in providing a fun, enjoyable and meaningful experience to all participants.

Fairness means the same rules apply to everyone — no special treatment. Referees must be unbiased. Players must not seek unfair advantages. No one should be excluded due to race, gender or sexual orientation.

🎭 Analogy: Fairness is like a weighing scales — if you add extra weight on one side (an unfair advantage), it tilts and becomes meaningless. Both sides must be equal for the measure to be valid.

💡 Memory Trick: Fairness = Same rules, same scales, same chance. Picture Lady Justice with her scales — blindfolded and balanced. That's what fairness looks like in sport.

🔑 KEY Equity

▼

📖 Official Definition: Equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. Changing the culture and structures of a sport so it becomes equally accessible to all members of society regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or social economic status.

Equity is more than just giving everyone the same thing — it's giving people what they need to have an equal chance. Fairness gives everyone the same box to stand on; equity gives taller boxes to shorter people so everyone can see over the fence.

🎭 Analogy (Famous!): Three people of different heights want to watch a match over a fence. Equality = each gets one box. Equity = the shortest person gets two boxes, the tallest gets none. Everyone can now see. That's equity.

💡 Memory Trick: Equity = Equalising the playing field. Equity has an "U" in it — YOU adjust to meet people where they are, not the other way around.

🏅

IOC & IPC Values

🏅 International Olympics Committee (IOC)

Excellence: Doing the best you can in sport AND life — it's about striving, not just winning
Friendship: Using sport to develop tolerance and understanding between all people
Respect: Consideration for yourself, others, environment and the rules

💡 EFR: "Every Friend Respects" — Excellence, Friendship, Respect

♿ International Paralympics Committee (IPC)

Courage: Accomplishing what others deem unexpected
Determination: Pushing physical ability to the absolute limit
Inspiration: The intense emotions from Paralympians' stories affecting others' lives
Equality: Sport breaking down social barriers for persons with impairments

💡 CDIE: "Champions Don't Ignore Everyone" — Courage, Determination, Inspiration, Equality

📋

Code of Ethics — The Stakeholders

⚽ 1. Participants (FAI)

Play fairly and try to have fun
Respect opponents — they are not the enemy
Shake hands before and after
Put the ball out if opponent is injured
Treat players from minority groups equally
Be modest in victory, gracious in defeat

🤸 2. Parents (Gymnastics Ireland)

Be a role model for your child
Ask "Did you enjoy yourself?" not "Did you win?"
Don't criticise their performance
Respect officials' decisions
Respect rights of every young person
Model a balanced lifestyle

🏉 3. Spectators (IRFU)

No profane language
Respect both teams
Condemn the use of violence
No verbal abuse of referees or players
Encourage young players to follow the laws

🏐 4. Coaches & Club Officials (GAA)

Respect rights, dignity and worth of every person
Treat everyone equally regardless of background
Be positive at all times
Ensure all eligible players get opportunities to play
Don't equate losing with failure in underage sport

🤺

Sportsmanship vs Gamesmanship vs Deviance

🔑 KEY Fair Play

▼

📖 Official Definition: Respect for the rules or equal treatment of all concerned.

Fair play is the big idea that ties together all the principles above. When you have a culture of fair play, sportsmanship follows naturally.

🔑 KEY Sportsmanship

▼

📖 Official Definition: Behaviour and attitudes that show respect for the rules of a game and for the other players. Playing fairly in the spirit of the game, showing respect and fair play to opponents, and being gracious in both victory and defeat.

Sportsmanship is going BEYOND the rules out of goodness. You're not forced to; you choose to do the right thing because it's honourable.

🎭 Analogy: If a teammate falls in a race, do you help them up? You're not obliged to — but doing so is sportsmanship. Paolo Di Canio catching the ball instead of scoring when the goalkeeper was injured (West Ham vs Everton, 2000) — won FIFA Fair Play Award.

💡 Memory Trick: Sports-man-ship = Ship sailing in the right direction. A good ship stays on course (the moral course) even in rough seas (pressure to win).

🔑 KEY Gamesmanship

▼

📖 Official Definition: The art or practice of gaining an advantage over opponents by using clever methods which are not against the rules but are very close to cheating.

Gamesmanship is the grey area — not technically cheating, but not exactly fair either. Classic examples include time-wasting, verbal distraction, or narrowing a pitch before a game.

🎭 Analogy: In chess, you're allowed to move your pieces closer to the clock to distract your opponent. Not illegal, but not exactly fair either — that's gamesmanship. The Tyrone vs Dublin pitch-narrowing scandal (Super 8s) is a sports example — Tyrone allegedly narrowed their home pitch to disrupt Dublin's wide game.

💡 Memory Trick: Games-man-ship = Bending the rules of the GAME. You're still playing the game, but bending what's acceptable. "Clever but crafty."

🔑 KEY Deviance

▼

📖 Official Definition: Behaving in a way that knowingly breaks the rules of the sport in order to get an advantage over your opponent.

Deviance is full-on rule-breaking. Not a grey area — it's deliberately crossing the line. Examples: diving to win a penalty, doping, match-fixing, deliberate handball.

🎭 Analogy: Deviance is running a red light on purpose to beat traffic. You know it's wrong, you know the rule, and you break it anyway for personal gain.

✏️ Real Example: Thierry Henry's handball vs Republic of Ireland in the 2010 World Cup qualifier — he knew he had fouled but did not admit it at the time. Classic deviance.

💡 Quick Comparison:
✅ Sportsmanship = goes ABOVE rules (honourable)
😏 Gamesmanship = stays WITHIN rules but pushes limits (cheeky)
❌ Deviance = goes BELOW rules (cheating)

💊

Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) & Anti-Doping

🔑 KEY Performance Enhancing Drug (PED)

▼

📖 Official Definition: Any substance taken specifically for the purpose of improving sports performance.

PEDs are not just about competing — most are taken to help athletes train harder and recover faster. The competitive edge is built in training, not just on the day.

🎭 Analogy: Imagine a car engine getting illegal turbo upgrades before a race. The car looks normal on race day but it's been modified for unfair power. PEDs work the same way — the body is "upgraded" in training.

💡 Memory Trick: PED = Performance Enhancement Drug = Pedal to the metal unfairly. Like pressing the accelerator too hard — you go faster, but it's not allowed.

DEF WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency)

▼

📖 WADA maintains the list of banned substances and methods, updating it at least annually. A substance is prohibited if it meets 2 of 3 criteria: (1) performance-enhancing, (2) harmful to health, (3) violates the spirit of sport.

WADA was established in 1999. The banned list is divided into: banned AT ALL TIMES (hormones, anabolics, EPO, beta-2 agonists, diuretics) and banned IN-COMPETITION ONLY (stimulants, cannabinoids, narcotics). Methods like blood transfusion are also banned at all times.

💡 Memory Trick: WADA = Watch Athletes Doping Anywhere — they test in AND out of competition.

💊 Main Categories of PEDs (WADA Prohibited List)

PED Type	What it does	Key Side Effects
Anabolic Steroids	Mimic testosterone. Increase muscle mass, strength and recovery. Allow more frequent/intense training.	Shrunken testicles, infertility, liver damage, heart problems, aggression, psychiatric disorders
Stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines)	Athletes believe they boost performance. Actually DECREASE performance — impair temperature regulation.	Vision problems, high blood pressure, stroke, death
Narcotics	Relieve pain, create euphoria. Allow athletes to push through pain barriers. Used in-competition period only.	Addiction, overdose, false sense of invincibility, increased injury risk, death
Blood Doping / EPO	Increases red blood cells → more oxygen to muscles → improved endurance	Blood clotting, stroke, heart attacks, leukaemia
Beta-2 Agonists	Bronchodilators — increase airflow to lungs. May increase muscle mass, decrease fat.	Palpitations, headaches, nausea, muscle cramps
Diuretics	Increase urine production — used to MASK other drugs or lose weight quickly (e.g. boxing weight categories)	Dehydration, cramps, dizziness, blood pressure drop
HGH (Growth Hormone)	Stimulates muscle growth, reduces fat, increases strength. In peptide hormone category.	Hypertension, thyroid problems, heart attacks

💡 Memory Trick for 3 main types: "Steroids Strengthen, Narcotics Numb, EPO Elevates (oxygen)"

DEF Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs)

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📖 An ADRV can include: presence of a prohibited substance, use of a prohibited method, refusing to provide a sample, evading testing, possession, trafficking, tampering, or administration of banned substances to another athlete.

You don't have to test positive to be banned — refusing to be tested, missing whereabouts tests, or helping someone else dope are all violations.

🎭 Analogy: It's like a driving offence — you don't have to cause a crash to get points on your licence. Speeding, ignoring signs, or having illegal modifications all count. Doping works similarly — there are many ways to violate the rules.

DEF Athlete Biological Passport

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📖 Official Definition: A record of anti-doping test results (blood and urine) carried out on an athlete over time. Allows for the identification of any variations outside the normal parameters of the athlete's own profile.

Instead of just testing for a drug at one moment, the passport tracks your blood values over years. If something suddenly spikes outside your normal range, it flags suspicion — even if the exact substance can't be identified.

🎭 Analogy: Think of it like a bank statement — if your account normally has €200 in it and suddenly shows €10,000 come in overnight, the bank flags it as suspicious even if they don't know where it came from. The passport does the same for blood values.

🚫 Sanctions for Doping (Sport Ireland)

First ADRV2–4 year ban from competition. Disqualification of results. Forfeit of all awards and medals from that period.

Third ADRV in 10 yearsLifetime ban from all competition.

Missed Whereabouts Tests3 failures in 12 months = 2-year ban.

FundingSport Ireland funding withheld during ban period.

🔑 KEY Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)

▼

📖 Official Definition: A TUE permits an athlete to use, for therapeutic purposes only, an otherwise prohibited substance or method of administering a substance. When medication required for a legitimate medical condition appears on the prohibited list, a TUE may allow that athlete to take the required medicine.

Some athletes have genuine medical conditions (asthma, ADHD, diabetes) that require medication that happens to be on the banned list. A TUE is like a doctor's certificate that says "this person needs this medication, and it's not being used to cheat." The TUE must be APPROVED BEFORE use (except emergencies).

🎭 Analogy: Imagine a chef in a "no salt" cooking competition who has a rare medical condition requiring salt supplements. The TUE is like a doctor's note allowing them to use salt for health, not for taste advantage. The key condition: it's for health, not performance enhancement.

💡 Memory Trick: TUE = "Treat U Ethically" — it allows you to treat a medical condition ethically and legally within sport. Must be applied for IN ADVANCE.

✏️ Examples of conditions eligible for TUE: Asthma, ADHD, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, growth hormone deficiency, adrenal insufficiency, anaphylaxis.

🥤

Dietary Supplements

DEF Dietary Supplement

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📖 Dietary supplements are products used by athletes as part of regular training and competition. Common examples include vitamins, minerals, protein and creatine. They are often used without full understanding of their potential benefits and risks. The athlete is responsible for any banned substance found in their body — even from a supplement.

The big danger with supplements: they're POORLY REGULATED. Labels may not list all ingredients. Athletes have been banned for substances in supplements that weren't on the label (e.g. DMAA/methylhexaneamine). Strict liability = if it's in your body, you're responsible, regardless of source.

🎭 Analogy: Imagine buying a "healthy smoothie" from a random shop, and it turns out it contained an illegal ingredient that wasn't on the menu. You still get penalised. In sport, the athlete is always responsible for what's in their body.

💡 Top Supplements to Know:
💪 Creatine — energy for short-term anaerobic activity, may increase strength and power
☕ Caffeine — may enhance endurance; blocks fatigue signals in brain
🥩 Protein — builds, maintains and repairs muscle
🩸 Iron — improves oxygen uptake (when deficient)
🧪 Sodium Bicarbonate — reduces muscle acidity in high-intensity activity

Chapter 8

Media & Technology in Sport 📺

Types of media, their influence on sport, gender stereotypes, and how technology impacts performers, coaches, officials and spectators.

📡

Types of Media in Sport

📡 The 5 Types of Media

📺 Television: RTE, BBC, Sky, BT Sport. Smart TVs with on-demand and interactive "red button" features enhance spectator viewing.

📻 Radio: National and local stations. Dedicated shows like "Game On" (RTE) and "Off the Ball" (Newstalk). Podcasts.

📰 Written Press: Profiles and reporting. National and local newspapers, books, magazines.

🌐 Internet: Real-time updates, live streaming, online channels, podcasts, blogs, YouTube. Major force in modern sport coverage.

📱 Social Media: Fastest growing platform. Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram. Direct athlete-to-fan communication.

💡 Memory Trick: TV-Radio-Press-Internet-Social = "The Reporters Post It Smartly"

⚡

Positive & Negative Influence of Media in Sport

✅ Positive Influences

Motivates people to take part in physical activity
Provides positive role models
Educates spectators through analysis and commentary
Generates revenue and provides employment
Showcases sportsmanship and positive values
Makes events accessible globally

❌ Negative Influences

Dictates event scheduling (e.g. late night kick-offs for TV)
Reduces spectator attendance at live events
Intrudes on performer privacy
Discourages activity by creating "armchair spectators"
Creates social media abuse of athletes
Reinforces gender stereotypes

⭐

Media & Elite Performance

⭐ How Media Affects Elite Athletes

Continuous need to perform: Athletes are scrutinised on AND off the pitch. Their image depends on always being at their best.
Heightened expectations: Media amplifies pressure — millions can comment on a single performance. Stress increases dramatically.
Sponsorship & profile requirements: Media appearances affect training time and social life. Athletes must balance sport and public relations.
Intrusion on personal life: Events in private life can be made public. Athletes lose control of their own story.

🏃

Mass Participation Sports & Media

🔑 KEY Mass Participation Sports

▼

📖 Official Definition: Sports that have a large number of participants — from 20–30 people to thousands. Examples include 5km Parkruns, road races, adventure races, triathlons, cycling sportives and obstacle events like Tough Mudder.

Mass participation events are non-elite and open to all fitness levels. The media covers them positively to inspire ordinary people — showing that sport is not just for professionals.

🎭 Analogy: Elite sport is like a Michelin-star restaurant — amazing but out of reach for most. Mass participation is like a community BBQ — everyone's welcome, the focus is fun, and the media loves showing it because it's inspiring and accessible.

📺 Role of Media in Mass Participation

Motivate people to take part in PA for fun and wellbeing
Show that events are accessible to all abilities — non-competitive nature
Showcase positive values like sportsmanship and helping others
Generate money for charities

📊

How Sport Appeals to Media & Spectators

📺 Why Media Covers Sport (pick 3 for exam)

Drama – heroes, villains, highs and lows attract audiences
Simplicity – easy-to-follow sports get wider audiences
History – tradition and rivalries (local derbies) create excitement
International appeal – wider reach = more advertising opportunities
Marketing – large fan bases = marketing revenue for media
Passion & loyalty – passionate fans want more content
Equal opportunities – narrowing gender gap shifts media coverage
Entertainment – if people are entertained, it's worth covering

👥 Why Spectators Follow Sport (pick 3 for exam)

Accessibility – ease of access to events and competitions
Price – entrance fees, subscriptions, pay-per-view
Passion & loyalty – sport is more than a game for many
Sense of belonging – community feel (GAA is great example)
Entertainment – want and need to be entertained
Media coverage – news, photos, social media fuels interest

👁️

Media Impact on Spectator Behaviour

DEF Social Media Abuse in Sport

▼

📖 Negative interactions on social media are increasingly common in sport. Irish and British governments have plans to regulate social media contact and fine companies that don't adhere to regulations.

Social media has given fans a direct line to athletes — and while mostly positive, a vocal minority use it to abuse. Unlike shouting abuse in a stadium (which others can shut down), online abuse can be anonymous and constant.

📺 4 Ways Media Impacts Spectator Behaviour

📱 Social Media: Online abuse becoming commonplace. Governments planning regulation to protect athletes and penalise inappropriate behaviour.
📣 Advertising: Main purpose is to generate revenue. Targeting sports fans to buy team kits, influence eating/drinking habits. Sponsorship is a billion-dollar global business.
🔥 Hype: Media builds excitement around events. Can create positive emotions (excitement, happiness) OR negative ones (tension, anxiety, anger — especially when rivals are introduced).
🥊 Hooliganism & Violence: Media records and publicises violent behaviour — can help identify offenders. However, tabloids can SENSATIONALISE it and give it more attention than it deserves, potentially inspiring more.

⚧️

Media & Gender Stereotypes

🔑 KEY Gender Stereotype

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📖 Official Definition: A generalised view of the traits, characteristics or roles that are or should be possessed by men and women.

A stereotype is a simplistic, often false assumption about a group. A gender stereotype applies this to men and women — e.g. "boys should play rough sports" or "girls should be cheerleaders." These assumptions are not always true but media reinforces them.

🎭 Analogy: A gender stereotype is like a casting director who only ever casts men as action heroes and women as love interests — regardless of the actor's actual skills. The media does this with athletes: women are cast as "women who happen to play sport," not "athletes who happen to be women."

💡 Memory Trick: Stereotype = "Stereo" (two-channel, limited) + "Type" (fixed category). Stereotypes are a limited, fixed way of seeing people — like old stereo sound vs surround sound reality.

⚧️ How Media Reinforces Gender Stereotypes

Media tends to represent women athletes as women first and athletes second
Coverage of women in sport often focuses on appearance, age or family life rather than performance
Men are depicted as powerful, independent, dominating — valued as athletes
These representations maintain ingrained stereotypes
The gender gap in Irish sport participation has narrowed (Irish Sports Monitor) but media coverage still lags far behind

💡 Key Exam Point: Media is POWERFUL — it can challenge and change gender norms OR continue reinforcing them. The choice of what to cover (and how) shapes what society believes is "normal."

🔬

Technology in Sport

Who	How Technology Helps	Example
⚽ Performer	Wearable tech (smartwatches, fitness trackers) track heart rate, speed, sleep. Predictive analytics forecast injury risk. Better sports surfaces reduce injury.	GPS vest tracking player distance and intensity in GAA training
🏋️ Coach	Video analysis software to dissect gameplay and give feedback. Data analytics for opponent tendencies. Messaging apps for communication.	Coach reviews video of opponent's free kicks before a match
🟡 Official	Video replay (VAR) to review crucial decisions. Ball tracking systems (Hawk-Eye in tennis, goal-line technology in soccer).	Hawk-Eye used in Wimbledon to check if serve was in or out
👀 Spectator	HD broadcasts and immersive camera angles. Real-time statistics and graphics. Social media for community engagement.	"Red button" interactive TV lets fans choose camera angles

DEF Wearable Technology

▼

📖 Smartwatches and fitness trackers that allow athletes to track real-time metrics such as heart rate, speed and sleep patterns. This data informs decisions on training intensity and rest periods, enhancing overall health management during training and competition.

🎭 Analogy: Wearable tech is like a pilot's cockpit dashboard — it gives real-time readings on everything that's happening inside the "machine" (the athlete's body) so that small issues can be corrected before they become crashes (injuries).

DEF Predictive Analytics

▼

📖 Official Definition: Data-driven methods that forecast injury risk by analysing athletes' training loads, biomechanical profiles and injury history. Sports medicine professionals use this to implement proactive strategies like workload management and personalised training programmes.

Instead of waiting for an injury to happen, predictive analytics can warn coaches that an athlete is at high risk. Think of it as a sports weather forecast — not 100% accurate, but allows preparation.

Chapter 9

Gender & Physical Activity 👥

Participation patterns, body image, social regulation, hegemonic masculinity/femininity, gender socialisation and reform.

📊

Participation Patterns — CSPPA Report 2018

📊 Key Findings (CSPPA 2018)

Boys are more likely to participate in extracurricular sports than girls
As age increases, participation in extracurricular sport decreases
Team games are the most popular forms of extracurricular sport in primary and post-primary
Days reaching 60 minutes of MVPA increase with extracurricular sport or active commuting
Overall, boys are more active than girls

DEF Factors Affecting Participation

▼

📖 Key factors: Home life, Access & Facilities, Finance, Social Stigma, PE, Self-confidence, Role models, Influence of peers.

Home Life: Children of active parents are more likely to be active. High screen time → less PA
Access & Facilities: Lack of indoor/outdoor facilities affects participation
Finance: Participation lower in lower-income families
Social Stigma: Girls fear being bullied/labelled "manly" for doing sport. Boys are much more encouraged.

💡 Memory Trick: HAFS + PRSM — Home, Access, Finance, Stigma, PE, Role models, Self-confidence, Media

🏋️

Body Types (Somatotypes)

🔑 KEY Ectomorph

▼

📖 Official Definition: Lean and long, with difficulty building muscle.

Ectomorphs are naturally slim with a fast metabolism. They struggle to put on muscle mass. Often suited to endurance sports.

🎭 Analogy: Think of a greyhound — lean, long, built for speed and endurance but not raw power. Marathon runners and basketball players often have ectomorph builds.

💡 Memory Trick: Ecto = "Extra-thin-o" — Ecto sounds like "echo" — think of a thin, echoing, lanky figure. Also: ECTOmorph = ECTOremoving fat naturally.

🔑 KEY Mesomorph

▼

📖 Official Definition: Muscular and well built, with a high metabolism and responsive muscle cells.

Mesomorphs build muscle easily and tend to be naturally athletic. They have a moderate metabolism and find it easier to both gain muscle and lose fat compared to the other types.

🎭 Analogy: Think of a labrador retriever — strong, athletic, well-proportioned and responsive to training. Or think of a gymnast or sprinter — compact, powerful, muscular.

💡 Memory Trick: MESO = "MuScle-O" — Meso sounds like "muscle." The "MESO" athlete is the "MaSter" of the middle — not too lean, not too fat, just muscular.

🔑 KEY Endomorph

▼

📖 Official Definition: Big, high body fat, often pear-shaped with a high tendency to store body fat.

Endomorphs have a slower metabolism and gain fat more easily. However, they can also be strong and powerful — sumo wrestlers and rugby props often have endomorph builds.

🎭 Analogy: Think of a bear — large, stores energy easily, powerful but not built for sprinting. Endomorphs are often very strong but need to work harder to stay lean.

💡 Memory Trick — All 3:
🦒 Ecto = giraffe (long, lean, can't build bulk)
🐆 Meso = cheetah (athletic, muscular, fast)
🐻 Endo = bear (big, stores fat, powerful)

🪞

Body Image & Physical Activity

🔑 KEY Body Image

▼

📖 Official Definition: The thoughts, feelings and perceptions about appearance. A personal evaluation of self and others based on body weight.

Body image is not about how you actually look — it's about how you think you look and feel about it. Positive body image → more likely to exercise. Negative body image → avoid exercise, exercise alone, low satisfaction.

🎭 Analogy: Body image is like looking in a fairground mirror — it may distort what's actually there. The issue isn't the real body; it's the distorted perception that affects behaviour. Two thirds of teenage girls have negative body image — the mirror is lying to them.

💡 Memory Trick: Body Image = Body's IMaGine — what you IMAGINE your body looks like, not what it actually looks like. The mind creates the image, not the mirror.

🔬 Research Findings on Body Image & Sport

Healthy weight females thought of themselves as slightly overweight
Average-weight males wanted to be larger
Sports involvement, especially team sports, was a cause of body dissatisfaction in athletes with normal BMI
This has led to psychological disorders: dysmorphia, anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia
Also led to increased dropout rates from PA

DEF Media's Impact on Body Image in Women

▼

📖 Two thirds of teenage girls have negative body image. Media promotes beauty standards that make girls who don't meet them feel less confident in sport, resulting in higher dropout rates.

Media edits and alters images of female athletes — promotes unrealistic body standards. Often focuses on appearance/femininity over athletic achievement (e.g. Anna Kournikova earned more through endorsements for her looks than higher-ranked tennis players earned for their results).

✏️ Example: Anna Kournikova (net worth ~$50M) received more endorsements than higher-ranked players because media valued her looks over her results. Media focuses on sex appeal over athletic success.

DEF Media's Impact on Body Image in Men

▼

📖 Media focus on attractiveness of being muscular in males has led to increasing concerns for male body satisfaction. Marketing (superheroes, soldiers, sports stars) sends the message that boys must be tall, toned and muscular to be masculine.

Boys face a different but equally damaging pressure — to be BIG and muscular. This can lead to body dysmorphia (muscle dysmorphia/"bigorexia"), steroid use, and unhealthy exercise habits.

💡 Key Point for Exam: Body image affects BOTH genders but in different directions — girls are pressured to be thinner, boys are pressured to be more muscular. Both can lead to unhealthy behaviours.

✅ Solutions to Address Body Image Issues

Take a break from social media; unfollow negative body image accounts
Engage in positive body talk with positive people
Focus on and appreciate what the body can DO, not how it looks
Enjoy being active just for the sake of being active
Accept that healthy and happy bodies come in all shapes and sizes
See each individual as a person with thoughts and feelings — not just body parts

🌐

Social Regulation of the Body

🔑 KEY Social Regulation

▼

📖 Official Definition: A set of unwritten rules that outlines acceptable activities for individuals. Social regulation of the body is society's view of an acceptable body size and shape. It can influence how an individual dresses, how they perceive their body compared to the ideal image, and their relationship with PA.

Social regulation is the invisible pressure society puts on bodies to look a certain way. It's not a law — nobody forces you — but if you don't conform, you face judgement. Simone Biles hid her muscles in high school because female muscularity wasn't "socially accepted" by her peers. That's social regulation in action.

🎭 Analogy: Social regulation is like a dress code nobody wrote down but everyone enforces. There's no rule saying you can't wear tracksuit bottoms to a wedding — but if you do, you'll face social consequences. Bodies face the same invisible dress code from society.

💡 Memory Trick: Social Regulation = Society's unwritten "body rulebook". No one hands it to you, but you feel it every day. It can be positive (promoting health) or negative (promoting dangerous ideals).

✏️ Research (Mental Health Foundation UK, 2019): In the previous 12 months — 20% felt shame about their body; 34% felt anxious or depressed; 19% felt disgusted; 22% said social media caused body worry.

📅 How Body Ideals Have Changed Over Time

Renaissance (15th–16th Century): Ideal bodies were muscular for men, soft and curvy for women. Larger bodies indicated wealth (money = lots of food, no manual labour). Women were NOT expected to participate in PA.
Today: Social standards have shifted completely — Renaissance "ideal female" bodies would be considered overweight by today's standards. Renaissance male bodies would be seen as "not muscular enough."
Key lesson: "Ideal" body types are socially constructed and change with time — they are not fixed biological truths.

💪

Hegemony in Sport

🔑 KEY Hegemonic Masculinity

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📖 Official Definition: The over-emphasis on stereotypical masculine traits such as competitiveness, strength and aggression. A way of thinking that supports male power and men's dominant position in society.

Hegemonic masculinity is a cultural idea that "real men" are strong, aggressive and dominant — and that these are the most valued qualities in society. Sport — especially contact sports — reinforces this idea. It excludes those who don't fit: women, LGBTQ+ athletes, or men who prefer aesthetic/artistic activities.

🎭 Analogy: Imagine a workplace where the unofficial rule is "whoever shouts loudest gets their way." There's no written rule — but those who are naturally quiet are at a disadvantage. Hegemonic masculinity is the sports version: the unofficial rule says aggressive, dominant males are most valued.

💡 Memory Trick: HEGemony = HEG = Huge, Elite, Guys. Hegemonic masculinity says that being huge, elite and (male) guys is what counts. Everything else is looked down on.

✏️ Impacts in Sport:

Excluding females and female participation
Encouraging homophobia
Reducing female participation in strength/aggression sports
Viewing men who prefer dance/gymnastics as "weak" or "unmanly"
Promoting aggression, violence and use of force
Encouraging excessive focus on winning

🔑 KEY Hegemonic Femininity

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📖 Official Definition: The over-emphasis on stereotypical feminine traits such as being caring, kind, vulnerable and nurturing. Focus on graceful physical activities that are labelled "feminine" — gymnastics, dance, figure skating, netball.

Just as hegemonic masculinity tells men to be aggressive, hegemonic femininity tells women to be delicate and graceful. This means women who excel in "masculine" sports face ridicule and discrimination — even when they're world class. Venus and Serena Williams, and Katie Taylor, have all encountered difficulties balancing femininity with their athletic qualities.

🎭 Analogy: Hegemonic femininity is like telling a female surgeon she should be in nursing because surgery is "too aggressive." The work is the same quality — but society's expectations create an invisible ceiling based on gender.

💡 Together:
💪 Hegemonic Masculinity = be big, strong, aggressive (men)
🩰 Hegemonic Femininity = be graceful, gentle, nurturing (women)
Both restrict people from expressing their full athletic potential.

🔑 KEY Gender Role Socialisation

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📖 Official Definition: How children learn about the typical social expectations, attitudes and behaviours associated with boys and girls.

From birth, children are taught what is "normal" for their gender — pink toys vs blue toys, dolls vs action figures. This shapes which sports and activities they feel comfortable in. It is socialisation (learning from society), not biology, that mainly drives these differences.

🎭 Analogy: Gender role socialisation is like learning the rules of a game nobody officially taught you — but everyone around you plays it. A boy who picks up a doll gets told "that's for girls." A girl who plays rugby gets called "tomboy." These constant messages shape behaviour over time.

💡 Key Point: Gender differences in sport are more a consequence of gender role SOCIALISATION than actual ability differences. This is a crucial exam point — biology doesn't explain the gap; society does.

🚀

Addressing Gender Imbalance in Sport

🚀 Strategies to Address Female Participation

Role Models: Female role models must be visible in the media. 20x20 Campaign: "If she can't see it, she can't be it."
Tackling dropout rates: Initiatives to keep girls in sport. Promotion of individual sports (girls prefer individual; PE often favours team games). Aid clubs with equipment.
Balanced PE programme: Research shows girls prefer individual sports; most PE focuses on team games (which favour boys). Balance needed.
Promotion of PA in early years: Training for early years staff; family access to play areas; policies promoting positive body image in young females.
Parents and staff: Active break times, variety of PA experiences, parents modelling PA behaviour, attending events to see role models.
A coordinated approach: Target girls' dropout stages. Women in Sport Programme + 20x20 Campaign promote consistent positive message.

🏆 Gender Reform in Sport — Key Points

Gender differences in children's attitudes to sport are strong from a very young age
These differences are consequences of gender role specialisation, not ability
Focus on enjoyment may improve participation for both genders
Sport reform must move away from competitive attitudes to reduce hegemonic masculinity
Crossfit, mixed triathlon and tag rugby show a shift away from gendered PA
Wheelchair rugby and boccia allow disability inclusion
Women who appear feminine still have a social advantage over those seen as "masculine" — not conforming to hegemonic femininity can lead to sexist discrimination

Flashcard Quiz

Test Yourself! 🃏

Tap any card to reveal the answer. Cover terms you know and focus on the ones you don't. These are all exam-likely definitions from Chapters 6, 8 and 9.

⚖️

Chapter 6 — Ethics & Fair Play

Ethics in Sporttap to reveal

A set of values and principles that governs an athlete's behaviour while participating in sport.

Integritytap to reveal

Acting consistently with the values of the sport. Positive conduct ON and OFF the field that enhances sport's reputation.

Equitytap to reveal

Equality of ACCESS. Recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them — changing culture and structures so sport is accessible to ALL regardless of age, gender, race, ability, sexuality or SES.

Sportsmanshiptap to reveal

Behaviour and attitudes that show respect for the rules and other players. Playing fairly in the spirit of the game; gracious in victory AND defeat.

Gamesmanshiptap to reveal

The art of gaining an advantage using methods that are NOT against the rules but are very close to cheating. E.g. time-wasting, distracting opponents verbally.

Deviancetap to reveal

Knowingly BREAKING the rules of sport to gain an advantage. E.g. diving, doping, match-fixing, deliberate handball (Thierry Henry).

PED (Performance Enhancing Drug)tap to reveal

Any substance taken SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of improving sports performance. Most used to train harder/recover faster, not just on competition day.

WADAtap to reveal

World Anti-Doping Agency. Maintains the prohibited list. A substance is banned if it meets 2 of 3 criteria: (1) performance-enhancing, (2) harmful to health, (3) violates spirit of sport.

Athlete Biological Passporttap to reveal

A record of anti-doping test results (blood and urine) over time. Identifies variations outside the athlete's own NORMAL profile — flagging doping even without identifying the exact substance.

TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption)tap to reveal

Permits an athlete to use a prohibited substance for THERAPEUTIC (medical) purposes only. Must be applied for IN ADVANCE (except emergencies). Issued by Sport Ireland for Irish athletes.

Blood Dopingtap to reveal

Misusing techniques to increase red blood cell mass, allowing more oxygen to reach muscles → improved aerobic capacity and endurance. Methods: EPO, blood transfusions, synthetic oxygen carriers.

IOC Values (3)tap to reveal

Excellence (doing your best, not just winning), Friendship (tolerance and understanding through sport), Respect (consideration for self, others, environment and rules). Memory: "Every Friend Respects"

IPC Values (4)tap to reveal

Courage, Determination, Inspiration, Equality. Memory: "Champions Don't Ignore Everyone" (CDIE)

📺

Chapter 8 — Media & Technology

Gender Stereotypetap to reveal

A generalised view of the traits, characteristics or roles that are or should be possessed by men and women. Media reinforces these by focusing on appearance over athletic achievement for women.

Mass Participation Sportstap to reveal

Sports with a large number of participants (20 to thousands). Examples: Parkruns, road races, triathlons, Tough Mudder. Non-elite and accessible to all abilities.

Wearable Technologytap to reveal

Smartwatches and fitness trackers that allow athletes to track real-time metrics (heart rate, speed, sleep). Data informs training intensity and rest — enhances health management.

Predictive Analyticstap to reveal

Data-driven methods forecasting injury risk by analysing training loads, biomechanical profiles and injury history. Enables proactive injury prevention strategies.

3 Positive Media Influences on Sporttap to reveal

1. Motivates participation in PA. 2. Provides positive role models. 3. Educates spectators through analysis. 4. Generates revenue and jobs. (Give any 3)

3 Negative Media Influences on Sporttap to reveal

1. Dictates event scheduling. 2. Reduces spectator attendance. 3. Intrudes on performer privacy. 4. Encourages armchair spectators. 5. Social media abuse. (Give any 3)

Technology for Officialstap to reveal

Video replay (VAR) to review decisions. Ball tracking (Hawk-Eye in tennis, goal-line tech in soccer). Enhanced communication systems for consistent rulings.

👥

Chapter 9 — Gender & Physical Activity

Body Imagetap to reveal

The thoughts, feelings and perceptions about appearance. A personal evaluation of self and others based on body weight. Positive body image → more likely to exercise.

Social Regulationtap to reveal

A set of UNWRITTEN rules outlining acceptable activities for individuals. Society's view of an acceptable body size and shape. Influences how people dress, perceive their body, and relate to PA.

Hegemonic Masculinitytap to reveal

Over-emphasis on stereotypical masculine traits: competitiveness, strength, aggression. A way of thinking that supports male power and dominant position in society. Excludes women, LGBTQ+, "non-masculine" men.

Hegemonic Femininitytap to reveal

Over-emphasis on stereotypical feminine traits: caring, kind, vulnerable, nurturing. Focuses on "feminine" sports (gymnastics, dance, netball). Women who don't conform face discrimination.

Gender Role Socialisationtap to reveal

How children learn the social expectations, attitudes and behaviours associated with boys and girls. Gender differences in sport are a consequence of socialisation, NOT ability differences.

Ectomorphtap to reveal

Lean and long, with difficulty building muscle. Suited to endurance/long-distance sports. Think: marathon runner, basketball player. Memory: 🦒 giraffe.

Mesomorphtap to reveal

Muscular and well-built, high metabolism, responsive muscle cells. Builds muscle easily. Suited to power and speed sports. Think: sprinter, gymnast. Memory: 🐆 cheetah.

Endomorphtap to reveal

Big, pear-shaped, high body fat with a tendency to store fat. Often powerful and strong. Suited to strength sports. Think: sumo wrestler, rugby prop. Memory: 🐻 bear.

CSPPA Report (2018) — 2 Key Findingstap to reveal

1. Boys more likely to do extracurricular sport than girls. 2. Participation decreases as age increases. 3. Boys overall more active than girls. (Give any 2)

20x20 Campaigntap to reveal

Irish initiative to increase media coverage of women in sport. Slogan: "If she can't SEE it, she can't BE it." Aims to provide female role models and increase female participation in sport.

🎉 You've reached the end of the flashcards! Keep reviewing the ones you found tricky. Good luck in the Leaving Cert! 💪

Your Complete Study Guide 🎓