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User:Rhiannon Stephens/The Effect of Animal Cruelty Allegations in Sport

Presentation on Youtube

Animals have played a major role in sport, whether it has been for legal or illegal purposes. The organisations involved in utilising animals include rodeo, greyhound and horse racing  all have strict animal welfare policies in place to prevent animal cruelty allegations. However, controversy on this issue never far away and is brought about by animal rights organisations such as PETA, SAFE and SHARK. They claim that the techniques employed in these sports constitute animal cruelty. The sporting organisations claim that there is no information to support the claims made by animal cruelty organisations and that there information is based on propaganda. These are a major source of entertainment and they provide huge media and sponsorship deals. The negative side of this is that media coverage is the main stream of promotion for sports involved. Articles that are negative are more likely to influence the opinions of others than that of positive articles, which has the potential to damage the reputation, image and popularity of an organisation. In turn this has an effect on attendance, merchandising sponsorship and endorsement deals as organisations involved do not want to be seen as supporting animal cruelty. This article uses peer reviewed journals and organisational websites to describe the effects that animal cruelty controversies have on sporting organisations. There has been little research done in this area, more research needs to be done to see the full results of constant animal cruelty claims and how they affect sporting businesses.

History of Animal Use in Sport
The use of animals in sport can be traced back to as far as when the ancient Greeks and Romans used horses in chariot races. Since then humans have continued to use animals in various sports. Rodeos have been present since the 18th century, not always considered a sport though. In the 1820’s and 1830’s Rodeos were considered informal events, the first Rodeo competition was held in 1872 in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Prescott, Arizona claimed having the first professional rodeo in which they charged admission and winning competitors were awarded. Since then we have seen the emergence of the rodeos that are seen today. Organised horse racing dates back to the 17th century, and in the 20th century was one of the only sports to continue throughout both of the world wars and since then has emerged as an international sport. Organisaed greyhound race meetings date back to 1926 in Britain, since then this event has become an extremely popular past time and has seen the emergence of a billion dollar industry

The billion dollar sporting industries that we see today are continuously modified to support legislation in order to prevent animal cruelty claims. The first animal cruelty laws were introduced in the 1870’s, and since then the laws have evolved into the legislation that is present today,. After the release of such legislation, welfare controversies have surrounded these particular sports. Rodeos, horse and greyhoud racing are examples of sports that are legal to participate in as there are strict guidelines to ensure that the animals are protected. However, there are other sports that involve animals but to participate in blood sports such as cock fighting and dog fighting is illegal.

Opinions of the Media
Sports involving animals generate huge amounts of media coverage and sponsorship. Unfortunately, for the organisations involved media coverage is the main type of promotion for these sports and the organisations are not able to control the opinions that they share with the world. Negative publicity arises from animal cruelty claims that emerge from animal rights organisations such as People for Ethical Treatment of animals (PETA), SAFE and SHARK and they portray the sports in the worst possible way. The organisations believe that animals should not be used in sports as it constitutes animal cruelty. The organisations also argue that the people involved in these sports do not follow the rules and regulations that are set out by the Government and the sporting bodies and therefore we should have total animal liberation.

Rodeo itself attracts a significant amount of negative publicity as organisations believe that the events cause distress and injuries to the animals and they protest that rodeo’s should be banned. Animal rights activists try to discourage people from attending these events by convincing them that if they attend the event thay are supporting animal cruelty as. Statements such as this "Rodeo events are, no matter the gloss put on them, gratuitously violent acts against defenceless animals” are used to deter people from attending these events Wetz, Max, ‘Animal Defenders of Westchester’, in PETA and Rodeos. July 2008, viewed on 1 September 2001,  Issues are also raised in horse racing as animal rights organisations believe that hitting the horse with a whip constitutes animal cruelty. other concerns arise as they believe that horses are raced to young and that they are not mature enough and this causes trouble to their skeletal system. It is also believed that the horses suffer physically and mentally from being locked in a stable and the food that they consume causes them stomach ulcers . The greyhound racing industry faces many allegations of animal cruelty or abuse as animal cruelty organisations believe that the greyhounds are suffering as they are do not race willingly and that if they are not winners they are disposed of. By using these examples it can be seen that theses organisations are plagued by animal welfare controversy.

The Effect of Animal Cruelty Allegations
There has been and still is a significant amount of negative media surrounding sporting organisations such as the Australian Professional Rodeo Association (APRA), the Australian Racing Board (ARB) and Greyhound Racing South Australia (GRSA)over animal cruelty claims. This can cause problems for organisations as they spend more time reacting to unplanned events or accusations that negatively affect the attitudes of the public, rather than being proactive and trying to create positive attitudes within communities. These statements could have serious implications for businesses involved in these sports such as rodeo, horse racing and greyhound racing. As the Result of people making statements about animal cruelty have the potential to have a negative impact on organisations as it has been proven that people have a tendency to remember more facts from negative articles than that of positive articles.

The allegations made by other organisations are similar to that of PETA and SAFE. The result of the constant negative media can seriously damage the reputation, image and popularity of an organisation. This then has an effect on areas that involve attendance, merchandising, sponsorship and endorsement deals. When expressing their opinions on animal cruelty organisations are discouraging people from attending events which could effect the ability for sporting businesses to make a profit. An example of when sponsorship was removed is when Telstra removed sponsorship from a local rodeo in Corryong due to allegations of animal cruelty. . Another instance when sponsorship was removes was when Choice Hotels dropped their sponsorship of the National High School Rodeo Association (NHRSA) because an animal rights group alleging that by sponsoring the event they were supporting animal cruelty .The Loss of sponsorship has an affect on sporting businesses as they are losing funds that are essential to hold and run events. Therefore the way that the organisation is portrayed in the media can have major impacts on sporting businesses.

Sponsorship of an event is supposed to have a positive effect on the corporate image of an organisation. The association of a brand with sport can have negative effect if the sporting organisation generates a lot of negative media attention. This has the potential cause trouble for the sports that are involved in competitions which involve animal cruelty claims. Sponsorship of these events could be viewed as risk taking behaviour. Sponsorship is a fundamental ingredient for a successful event. It is a major stream of revenue for the organisers of an event and the withdrawal of sponsorship can have major impacts on an event and cause financial difficulties for organisations.

There was controversy amongst the Greyhound racing industry when apparently not one representative from the McGrath Foundation turned up to receive a check from the greyhound racing industry. This was due to the public perceptions that by being associated with this organisation they support animal cruelty. However, they still wanted to receive the money, they just did not want to do it in the public eye. This affects the business of greyhound racing as people do not want to be involved or associated with sports that attract negative publicity as they do not want to be seen as supporting animal cruelty. Many other concerns arise as animal rights activists believe that hitting the horse with a whip is considered to be animal cruelty. These allegations could possibly have an effect on the commodification of this sport as the activists discourage people from attending these events or placing bets. They convince people that if they attend an event they are supporting animal cruelty, this is the same as in Rodeo. The affect of the constant scrutiny resulted in the ARB changing the rules of racing as these issues were raised at all levels of competition. Jockeys are no longer aloud to raise whips above their shoulder, also whips must be padded. Within 5 weeks of changing the rules the ARB believed that there had been a substantial improvement in the attitudes and practices of this sport. This has had a positive impact on the horse racing industry. However, the opinions of the media still effect areas such as sponsorship for sporting organisations.

How Organisations Respond to Such Allegations
In defence to the animal cruelty claims the APRA argue that there is no information to support the claims that animals are treated in an inhumane way. They also believe that the statements that are made by groups such as PETA and SAFE are fabricated to support their personal emotions regarding the sport. In repsonsding to animal cruelty claims in rodeo the APRA said that "The sport has had to become more transparent and proactive if it was to survive under today’s expectations" Wikiversity user:Rhiannon Stephens talk page. Statistics of injured livestock are taken at events and forwarded on to animal welfare regulatory bodies so that they can compare them with their own records. The APRA have also stated on their website that they value the animals that they use and follow strict animal welfare policies. This website also explains for people that do not understand the sport of Rodeo that the use of these animals in such a way does not involve animal cruelty. As seen in the horse racing example the ARB responded to animal cruelty allegations by changing the rules and regulations regarding whips. They believe that by having done this they have seen an improvement in the attitudes of people around the sport, therefore this has had a positive impact. In order to prevent allegations GRSA have partnered with Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and the University of South Australia to ensure that their animals receive the best possible care(Email). Also the dogs are placed in foster homes so that they learn how to become pets and once they are finished racing are placed into permanent homes. They also ensure people that they put animal welfare at the heart of what they do. All organisations that are involved in these sports have made sure that policies in place to protect the animals that are involved.

Conclusion
Animals have been used in sports since the ancient Greek and Roman chariot races, and continue to be used in professional sports today. The emergence of animals in sport brought about animal welfare legislation in the 1870’s, which provides the laws for which animals are to be treated. These sports are a major source of entertainment and provide huge media and sponsorship deals. The organisations are not able to control the opinions that are expressed in the media. The negative publicity that is generated has huge impacts on sporting organisations. In the media, animal rights organisations claim that the use of animals in sport is what constitutes animal cruelty and we should have total animal liberation. In stating their opinions the animal rights organisations discourage people from attending events and betting. These articles are negative and people are more likely to remember the facts from these than positive articles. The negative media coverage damages the reputation, image and popularity of an organisation which in turn affects attendance, merchandising, sponsorship and endorsement deals as other people and organisations do not want to be seen as supporting animal cruelty. This is a major concern where sponsorship is concerned as association with an organisation can have a negative effect if it attracts substantial amounts of negative publicity, in which these sports do. The statements that are made in the media to the public have a huge impact on the businesses that are involved and this then affects all aspects of the sport. The organisations involved claim that there is no information to support the claims made by animal rights organisations that their opinions are fabricated to represent their personal emotions regarding the sport.


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User:Dhugo/Super Rugby - An Australian Context

The Super rugby have rapidly expanded in the professional era from the super 12 in 1996 to Super 15 now called Super Rugby in 2011. The format for the competition have been the same throughout the history of the tournament with a round robin set up, till 2011 when a new conference styled tournament was introduced. Business and political influences is largely responsible for the dramatic change. In an Australian sporting context it was a necessity for the ARU to gain a fifth franchise in the Melbourne Rebels after the successful establishment of Western Force in 2006, and furthermore the conference style tournament to improve local popularity and financial support through the six team playoff series.

The Super Rugby competition is the largest professional Rugby Union tournament in the Southern hemisphere [1]. The competition consist of five teams from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia each, also known as SANZAR, and the professional era started back in 1996 as the Super 12. During this time it grew to the Super 14 and now is simply known as Super Rugby. Through this development the effects of business and political influences have shaped the tournament into what it is today.

In a broad spectrum the formation of SANZAR and its competitions was ideal for the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and the South African Rugby Union (SARU) who both boast a well established domestic competition in the New Zealand Provincial Cup, now called the ITM Cup, and the Currie cup respectively. Both countries now use the system to filter the players through the ranks and into their national teams.

In an Australian Rugby Union (ARU) context it was a necessity as only local state competitions existed between small amateur clubs. The competitive sporting market in Australia has seen rugby being overshadowed by well established competitions by the NRL and AFL. For the ARU the formation of the Super rugby and on a bigger scale the Tri Nations have helped the code to not go missing in the Australian sporting arena.

The important factors in the new Super Rugby conference style tournament is how the ARU have manipulated it to increase their rugby program. Business and political issues are very prominent in the formation of the new competition and the ARU’s business and political views are vastly different to that of its partners.

The super rugby competition officially started in 1996 as the Super 12, as twelve teams competed in the competition. Five teams from New Zealand, four from South Africa and three from Australia. The format for the competition have been the same right through from 1996 to 2010, with a round robin sorting out the top four who would go onto their respective semi finals according to the final standing. The top two qualifiers would each host a semi final, giving the top qualifier the right to host the final in their respective country. In this set up one of the three countries could host all the playoff games or none at all. This has largely been the case from 2006 to 2010, with Australia only hosting one semi final match in 2007.

In 2006 the Super 12 expanded into the Super 14, with Australia gaining one more team, the Western Force and South Africa’s Freestate Cheetahs also joining in. 2011 saw the competition grow with an addition of one more team, the Melbourne Rebels, giving all three nations five franchises each. From 2011 the format changed, with each country forming their own conference. Each team within a conference plays each other home and away. They then play four out of five teams from the other pools once. The Super Rugby finals also changed featuring six teams, the top teams in each conference plus the three next teams with the highest total number of points.

The new structure is based around the original ARU proposal for three national conferences, whereby each side would have played the other four teams from their own country twice and all of the other teams once, before a six team finals series [5]. However, there were two major compromises that – while somewhat complicating the model – were designed to accommodate the wishes of all three countries. Firstly, each team would only play four of the five teams in each of the other two national conferences, meaning sixteen regular season games for each team. This 'trimming' of the model would allow for a late February start (somewhat placating the ARU and NZRU who wanted a March start), a three week gap for the June test matches (favoured by SARU) and an early August finish so as not to overlap new streamlined versions of New Zealand and South Africa's domestic competitions. Secondly, the three conference winners and the following three best performed teams would qualify for a three week finals series, with seeding deciding the match-ups. This system would be a hybrid of the conference-based qualification system favoured by the SARU and the 'top six' model favoured by the ARU and NZRU [5].

Super Rugby is a big business, being broadcasted in over 41 countries and more than 10 million homes [3]. In 2007 SANZAR announced a media deal worth US$323 million over five years [2]. In that same year the ARU announced a loss of $4.7million due to the Australian Rugby Competition’s (ARC) one year stint, a copy of the ITM Cup and Currie cup [4]. The new conference style unveiled in 2009, increased Australia’s local derbies from six in the super 14 to 20 in 2011 [5]. This allows Australian rugby to create a ‘feeling’ of a local competition similar to that of SARU and NZRU’s domestic competition, without the actual financial constraints of an ARC. The purpose of this decision was solely business based, by increasing Australian local derbies to try and increase the popularity of rugby union and build supporter base [4].

Another business prospect of the new set up allows the top Australian side to host their respective final. This is a major bargaining chip to increase broadcasting revenue as Australia does not have a third tier competition to sell. SARU negotiated an increase of 46% revenue, and NZRU an increase of 13% revenue, due to their local competition. In contrast Australia negotiated a mere 7% increase in 2011, and is struggling financially because of the lack of local interest [6]. Melbourne Rebels were also the team awarded with the new super rugby franchise and was a major business development in Australian rugby. Melbourne being dominated by AFL and NRL, the inception of the Rebels helped spread the code of rugby union to the sporting rich area. This increased Australians revenue stream and also improved the sport’s popularity as it did in 2006 by establishing Perth’s, Western Force. Business wise it increased the chances of Australia resurrecting the failed ARC, through five well established franchises and support base.

The new three week playoff series introduced in 2011 proved to be a major success for the ARU. Australia’s Queensland Reds secured top spot in the standings and hosted a semi finals and finals with sold out crowds. The crowd figure for the Reds increased by 30% compared to 2010 and 60% compared to 2009 [7]. A major financial boost for the Queensland Reds and more importantly Australian rugby. Another problem with the previous playoff was the scheduling of these games. If an Australian franchise did not host a home semi-finals, and it was being broadcasted from South Africa the time difference became a major problem [1]. The live broadcasting of these games on Australian television would not be during “prime time” viewing. So the necessity to have playoff matches firstly in Australia, and secondly during prime time viewing was an important factor in increasing the popularity and ticketing sales.

As in all sporting codes there is always the political climate to contend with. As SANZAR is the collective body for both the Super Rugby and Tri Nations, the concept of agreement is not so clear cut. The new proposed competition of the conference format was highly favoured by the ARU and NZRU were not against it. However, SARU were against this type of format for varies reasons. The main reason being that it would weaken the Currie Cup competition considerably, keeping the Super rugby players out of their respective provincial teams, and in effect most Springboks out as well. So therefore the politics that came with finalising this decision was very complex. For example, if SARU wanted to approve the format, it would have needed all the individual unions to agree to the matter.

The political development for Australian rugby to have such a format would allow them to mimic an ARC competition through the already established super rugby competition. This would prevent another disastrous ARC campaign like that of 2007. Gold Coast was another franchise bidding for the new super rugby spot. The reason for Melbourne being appointed the new franchise over gold coast was as much business as a political decision. Gold Coast situated in Queensland was deemed already a franchise in the Reds and would not have increased the reach of rugby in Australia. Therefore, the decision by the ARU to push for Melbourne was a very political resolution.

The financial climate in Australian rugby has been a big problem in recent times. Broadcasting rights revenue has only increased by 7% in 2010 from the previous year, which is very poor when compared to the other SANZAR partners. However, ARU have improved the popularity of rugby, firstly through the Western Force in 2006 and then the Melbourne Rebels in 2011. The development of five official franchises has increased the player’s pool for the ARU and has given new business opportunities for players and ARU alike. Political influences from ARU on SANZAR for the modified Super rugby format have increased Australia’s chance at recreating a successful ARC competition in the future through having an established support base. In an Australian context the new format has given rugby union a greater chance at growing the game in the sporting market and furthered the reach of rugby through the formation of professional franchises. This reach is aimed to increase support base and business opportunities for the struggling ARU. Now boasting five franchises and a definite playoff match, ARU has a chance to enhance their broadcasting rights and hopefully be more profitable in the near future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parenthetical_referencing

 * 1) While, L., and Barone, L. (2007). Super 14 Rugby Fixture Scheduling Using a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm. Symposium on Computational Intelligence in Scheduling. Retrieved October 5, 2011, from, http://www.wfg.csse.uwa.edu.au/publications/WFG2007c.pdf
 * 2) Jenkins ,P. (2004). Foxsports. “More for players in new SANZAR deal,” December 2004, URL: http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=147681
 * 3) SANZAR. (2006). ARU. “SANZAR announces ABC Asia Paciﬁc as broadcastpartner,” January 2006, URL: http://my.rugby.com.au/news/sanzar_announces_abc_asia_pacific_as_broadcast_par,40373.html/news/archive/section/21893
 * 4) Smith, W. (2009). The Australian. “Super rugby broadcast deal may refloat the lost ARC” January 2009, URL: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/super-rugby-broadcast-deal-may-refloat-the-lost-arc/story-e6frg7o6-1225720692383
 * 5) Mareko, U. (2009). The Roar. “Melbourne super bid favoured by TV” October 2009, URL: http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/10/02/rugby-australia-isnt-worth-the-effort/
 * 6) Bryant, S. Green and Gold Rugby. (2009). “All that glitters is not gold in new SANZAR deal” December 2009, URL: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold-in-new-sanzar-deal/
 * 7) Foxsports (2011). “Tickets snapped up in 45 minutes to Super Rugby final between Queensland Reds and Crusaders” July 2011, URL: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/super-rugby/tickets-snapped-up-in-45-minutes-to-super-rugby-final-between-queensland-reds-and-crusaders/story-e6frf4qu-1226088904190

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User:PhillipaDickens

My name is Phillipa and I am a student at University of Canberra.

I'm studying Business, politics and sport.

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User:Brendanduffy

Hi my name is Brendan

I'm studying BPS 2011

Essay title: /The Revival of Australian Cricket/

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User:Gus gardiner

Hi my name is Gus Gardiner and I'm studying Business, Politics and Sport at the University of Canberra. My professional experience has included employment within the Australian Defense Force, sports facility management at the Canberra International Sports and Aquatic Center, and sporting team management at the Australian Institute of Sport and Football Federation Australia. My primary goal centers on personal development and advancement within the Australian sporting industry.

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User:Mchappo/Basketball in Australia compared to the USA

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As sport is such a large part of society which can unite communities and countries, what happens behind the scenes, not just in Australia but worldwide where does basketball fit and how does it compare to the United States?

This paper will discuss the differences between Australian basketball and American basketball regarding to politics and business, categories that will be covered include three stages of basketball from the grass roots to state (local), national and international levels. Some factors that separates both countries include the crawford report and government funding, the back ground to NBL and NBA, business of marketing in basketball, rules and regualations, giving back to the community, college system and current NBA lockout. The conclusion will involve the future of both leagues.

Introduction
Growing up as kids we are faced with the question of what career we wanted to pursue, a lot of us would have chosen sports like AFL, NRL and football, but how many of us considered basketball?

Internationally America has set the bench mark in every aspect of the game. It is the pinnacle basketball competition in the world considering the calibre of individual and team talent with players such as Kobe Bryant and Lebron James leading their teams. Whereas Australia is struggling but is improving with up and coming players like Andrew Bogut and Patrick Mills playing overseas. Australia’s domestic competition is far from the standard of that of the NBA where there is huge amounts of money and large fan bases. This article will explore behind the scenes of both countries.

Some of the differences between Australian basketball and American basketball that will be explored regarding to politics and business, include three stages of basketball from the grass roots to state (local), national and international levels. That involve such issues as the crawford report and government funding, the back ground to NBL and NBA, business of marketing in basketball, rules and regualations, giving back to the community, college system and current NBA lockout.

Local Level
The Crawford Report was realised on the 18th November 2009 which is an independent review recently presented to the Federal Government focusing on the structure of the Australian Sporting System from community to the elite level. . According to the report basketball was included alongside swimming, tennis, cricket, cycling, the football codes, netball, golf, hockey, surfing and surf lifesaving as one of the most popular sports in Australia that contributes to the “national ethos”.

Funding from Australian sports commission: On the 26/11/2010 the federal sports minister Mark Arbib announced that the Australian Sports Commission would provide an additional increase of half a million dollars ($500,000) in annual funding for Basketball Australia. Larry Sengstock said “basketball can now make additional significant investment in community sport in order to help us build our capacity."

Funding allocation by Basketball Australia and USA: At the local level a large focus of Basketball Australia’s funding is directed to grass root performance providing a pathway for all young basketball players. Basketball Australia is funded by Government grants, sponsorships, fundraising and memberships.

Compared to basketball Australia, USA basketball do not receive any government funding and rely on lobbying for donations and sponsorships to carry out their job of selecting, training and fielding the USA international teams effectively. As there is limited funding into the grass roots of the sport it results in local community basketball being reliant on volunteers to coach and referee games, a potential problem for the local basketball community when these volunteers can't coach and referee.

Transition for Australian young elite playing college ball: A big issue with the business side of basketball Australia is the huge gap between elite state players making the step up to professional level. In the U.S their college system is the platform for elite juniors to improve and progress to the professional level, Australia has no such framework resulting in the majority of talent being scouted by colleges to go and play in the states or players sending video footage and resumes to colleges to play on scholarships. For basketball in Australia to grow and improve the level of competition there has to be a set framework to recruit national talent and keep it in the country for the national league.

Giving back to the community:The NBA has adopted an NBA cares program that believes actions speak louder than words and their main aim is to benefit communities worldwide. An example of this is present with the Cleveland Cavaliers as they are targeting northeast Ohio with an education program, ten graduating school seniors will receive a $2000 scholarship through the Cavaliers/first merit scholarship program. The NBL have adopted a similar program to that of the NBA that helps the wider community and promotes community friendly behaviour. An example is present with the Melbourne Tigers where they are giving back to grass roots basketball with clinic being held and also charity work being under taken where Bo Westover had his head shaved at a Tigers home game for the world’s greatest shave and raised $6000 for the leukaemia foundation.

The NBL and NBA
Domestic basketball in Australia has one major competition being the National Basketball League (NBL) which its first season was held in 1979, the competition involves eight teams from all over Australia competing in a twenty round competition to which the best team teams play off in the finals and a champion team is crowned. As stated before and according to (Hoopedia) the governing body for basketball in Australia is Basketball Australia it was formed in 1939 and sanctions Australia’s two professional leagues being the NBL and the WNBL and also a semi professional league the ABA.

One major issue with basketball in Australia is the fact that players who play for the national team rarely feature for or don’t play in the NBL due to the lucrative contract deals overseas and the college structure for young athletes in America. An example of this is Andrew Bogut who attended the Australian Institute of sport before he was approached to play for the college of Utah in 2003-04, he was then named the number one draft pick to the Milwaukee Bucks where he signed for $75.55 million over 6 years according to (Kogoy,2008).

The major basketball competition in America is the National Basketball Association (NBA) which was founded in 1946. The competition involves twenty nine teams from America and one from Canada stated in (Altius Directory,2008) and each team plays eighty two games with home and away games evenly split at forty one a piece. The total games in the NBA season are 1,230 games.

One major difference in the two competitions involve the rules and regulations each follow as the NBL is aligned with the international governing body of basketball FIBA, whereas the NBA has its own set of rules and regulations. According to (Reimer,1996-2009) some major differences in the rules include the three point line which is measured from the centre of the basket, the FIBA three point line is 6.25m and in high competitions 6.75m commencing in October 2010, NBA involves a 7.24m arch which intersects with parallel lines to the side line which are 6.7m away from the basket. FIBA playing time is 4x10 minute quarters and overtime periods are 5 minutes each where the NBA playing time is 4x12 minute quarters and overtime periods are 5 minutes each.

Another major difference is the game clock operations where the clock stops after every successful field goal in FIBA the last 2 minutes of the second half and any overtime period, in the NBA in every last minute of quarters 1,2,3 and the last 2 minutes in the last quarter and every time out.

The Australian and the American domestic basketball competitions are similar in their set up as both have a round robin competition format which slightly differs in the NBA due to the amount of teams and the structure of each conference. Each team plays everyone in the regular season before the top teams play in the finals series. There are also all star weekends which both the NBL and NBA are a part of which include the all star games, dunk contest and the skills contest which is composed of the star players from that current season.

The Australian and American basketball leagues can be considered to be at two different ends of the basketball spectrum. This is due to the fact that America is financially better off than Australia and can afford lucrative player salaries that attract high profile players as well as the money needed to be spent on stadiums, courts and other areas like coaching and player development. It was recorded in (Plunkett research,2005-2010) that in the 2008-09 season the NBA the revenue raised by basketball associated activities was $3.2 billion. This financial stability in America is a very large part of why America is ranked 1st in the FIBA world rankings according to (FIBA,2011). The strength of the competition has been maintained over a number of years with some of the world’s best players playing in the NBA at some point in their career. Although the NBA is the pinnicle of basketball competition they are faced with uncertainty on playing the 2011-2012 season with the curent lockout.

NBA Lockout: Currently there is dispute among the owners in the NBA and the players association regarding their CBA (collective bargaining agreement). In January 2011 22 of the 30 owners claimed that they were going broke. The league wanted to decrease player’s salaries by 40% or the equivalent of $800 million. The teams replied that they wanted a soft salary cap of 58 million and a hard cap of 45 million but the union declined, then in May the players association filed a complaint to the labour board and once again the claim was dismissed. The issue of decertification came into play which allows all players to put in an antitrust claim against the league which can result in a law suit. Then in June the owners offered a flexi cap which limits salaries to 62million minus penalties but once again an agreement was not made which then the players offered back a $500 million cut in salaries over 5 years which results in 57.7% to 54.3% in revenue. The owners are becoming sick of the negotiations and put forward a $2 billion cut annually for 10years which is resulting in the 2011 and 2012 season in doubt where pre season has already been cancelled and 2 regular season games cancelled, players are beginning to sign contracts overseas to play.

Although this is not good for the sport in America, clubs from Europe, Asia and Australia will benefit as already Patty Mills is back playing for the NBL and Andrew Bogut was going to sign with the Sydney Kings but a deal wasnt able to be made due to insurance issues but has indicated to stay and help develop basketball in Australia. Also the biggest stars from the NBA including LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are set to play two games in Australia as part of a world tour due to the NBA lockout, resulting in Television deals and player payments ranging from $100,000 to $1 million which is going to rase revenue of basketball in Australia, improve the image and give basketball in Australia a massive boost.

Australia and USA
Basketball Australia fields an international team in the FIBA competition and the Olympics, according to (FIBA,2011) Australia’s national team is currently ranked 9th in the FIBA world rankings which indicates there is still some improvement for basketball in Australia to become a formidable force in world basketball, with incentives such as the $500,000 grant from Federal sports minister Mark Arbib will assist in building a stronger future for basketball.

The governing body for basketball in America is Basketball USA which was organised in 1974. Basketball USA are responsible for the selection, training and fielding of America’s teams that compete in the FIBA sponsored basketball competitions and the Olympics.

As the USA national team is currently ranked 1st in the FIBA world rankings this indicates that they are one of the worlds power house nations in basketball. With the huge amounts of money that is involved in American basketball it allows their organisation to fund all areas of the sport which gives basketball room to improve over time.

The difference in the rules and regulations involved with the FIBA and the NBA certainly don’t pose a problem in their domestic competition but can pose problems at an international level where for example an American team is use to a larger three point line and a team from Australia would have to readjust their shooting in international competition to compensate with the difference in rule changes.

Marketing: A big part of sport and the entertainment industry includes marketing to the basketball audience. Michael Jordan is one of the most marketed sports figures in history. Teaming up with Nike which is now a powerhouse in the sporting equipment industry came up with his own brand of shoes “Air Jordan” making Nike the number one basketball brand thanks to Jordan. With great success with the sneakers Nike spun off Jordan brand apparel.

Conclusion
Business, politics and sport are intrinsically linked together throughout all sports and if not coordinated together problems may arise, it has been highlighted that both Australia and America are looking to improve from the local level to the international level but there are many differences and problems that need to be overcome.

In conclusion I feel that the major difference in basketball in Australia and America is the sheer greatness of financial stability the NBA has resulting in attracting high profile players which hand in hand attracts fans and makes for a very impressive competition, even though they are in the middle of negotiations with the lockout. While Australia has a fairly relaxed season in comparison to the NBA with only eight teams America has a long season with thirty teams travelling around the country and Canada in a very crowded schedule which allows more fans to attend games to raise revenue in the sport. It is fair to say that Australian basketball has long way two go to reach the standard of American basketball but is on the improve with government grants, supporting grassroots basketball which America are lacking and signing up and coming players like the Gold Coast have with Jason Cadee before an American university has, resulting in keeping Australian talent in Australia.


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User:Lilly15/The Impact Poor Role Models have on Sport

Presentation, The Impact Poor Role Models Have on Sport

Sporting stars are held up as role models. Children look up to, and aspire to be like them, but are continually let down through their inexcusable behaviour on and off the field. A sportstar misbehaving draws a lot of media attention, which results in a negative impact for the club, a tarnished image for the athlete and affects the reputation of the sport code more widely. So are sport stars becoming less admirable as the years go by?

There are a range of indiscretions that have come about in recent times including athletes using performance enhancing drugs, intoxicated incidents and even sexual assaults. Indiscretions like these create a bad reputation for the sport and are unacceptable in society. In this essay I will be highlighting the significance and effect that player indiscretions have on the sporting business, including the impact on sponsorship deals, player contracts and grassroots sport. I will ask questions like, how much of a role does the media have on these indiscretions. I will also look at cases where this behaviour has occurred and what politics are involved with sanctioning players, through the club they are involved with or the sporting body tribunals/ judiciaries. Finally I will also consider the impact that a positive role model has on a club, and look at examples of successful role models and the influence they have.

INTRODUCTION
The term role model is generally defined as ‘a person who serves as an example, who’s behaviour is emulated by others’. A role model is someone who posses unique qualities that inspire and motivate people to seek out accomplishment and become a better person. Do sporting stars fit this definition or are they becoming less admirable as years go by?

People are beginning to think the worst of athletes with indiscretions frequently occurring in recent times, a number of athletes are creating a bad reputation for sport which results in them being labelled as poor role models. Young children look up to these athletes and aspire to be like them, but continue to be let down through their unacceptable behaviour on and off the field.

During this essay I will be highlighting the impact that poor role models have on sport, particularly focusing on the business and politics aspects. I will look at the impact on sponsorship deals, player contracts and grassroots sport. I will also look at how much affect the media have on player indiscretions. I will use cases where indiscretions have occurred in the past and highlight what politics were involved with sanctioning the players. Finally I will highlight the impact a positive role model has on a club, looking at an example of a role model and influence they have on sport.

Business
Sport is used by people to obtain profit and status, over time sport has transferred into a large business. Televising sporting events, player contracts, owning sports teams all involve a rich amount of money.

Player imprudence has significant effects on the sporting business and also moral and ethical issues arise, from national sport to local sport. This includes sponsorship deals, player contracts and grassroots sports.

Sponsorship
Sponsorship is pivotal to a successful club or organisation; it is a business relationship between a provider of funds and an individual or an organisation which in return offers the provider of funds commercial advantage, through advertising their brand and creating awareness.

Without sponsors, sport would struggle financially and not be as dominant as it is today. Sport relies on sponsors to help them financially they also save on expenditure and add value to the sporting experience. A sponsorship deal is made if both parties believe that it will benefit them in some way, sponsors do not want to be involved with a club that has frequent incidents that obtain plenty of negative media attention. This looks bad for both the club and the sponsors involved at the club, in the past this has resulted in sponsors withdrawing their funds from the deal, which results in the club or athlete being financially uncertain, with a tarnished image and struggling to obtain a new sponsorship deal. All this because of an athlete misbehaving.

A classic example of this is professional golfer Tiger Woods. Going from the highest paid athlete in the world, with the number one golf ranking and having the world at he’s feet, to losing most of he’s sponsors which resulted in millions of dollars, also losing he’s number one ranking and being labelled as poor role model to young children after years of being regarded the most inspirational athlete in the world. All this came about because he did not set the right example in society and was unfaithful to his wife, which has had a large impact on his life.

Contracts
When an athlete misbehaves, the club or sports national body has the option of terminating their contract and stopping them having a part in the club or the sport itself. A contract is an agreement between two parties which involves an exchange of promises and creates a legal obligation. In sport, the contract would generally be between the club and the athlete. Clubs no longer tolerate unacceptable behaviour by their players, one alcohol fuelled or drug related indiscretion, could result in the player’s contract being torn up.

If an athletes contract was torn up, this would impact on the sporting business, the club would lose a player and if this certain player was high performing and exciting to watch, crowd numbers may drop and affect the club's income. The player would have to go into negotiations with other clubs but may struggle to obtain a new contract because they have done the wrong thing elsewhere, they would also be renowned as a poor role model and their career in the sport could be over. An example of this is Todd Carney a terrific Rugby League talent, but continues to misbehave and let everyone down. Carney first lost his contract at the Canberra Raiders after a drunken rampage in his hometown of Goulburn which he also recieved a 12 month suspended sentence. The Sydney Roosters offered Carney a lifeline in 2010 but recently has been involved in more indiscretions which resulted in Carney loosing his second contract in 4 years. This is strong evidence to suggest that sport stars are becoming less admirable as years pass and not good role models which has a large impact on sport.

Grassroots Sport
Indiscretions that occur in a particular sport results in parents not wanting their children to be involved with a sport that has poor role models that do not set the right example for their children. This could have a large impact on the sport industry in the future which may result in grassroots player numbers dropping, finding it hard to field teams and run competitions for the younger generations.

In contrast positive role models in sport impact on individuals and the community. Well known and successful sportspeople have been asked to promote programs that are being initiated to increase sport participation. There is evidence to suggest that these programs do increase participation in sport and provide an enjoyable environment for young kids. Different programs include Auskick, Kanga cricket, Netta netball and hot shots tennis just to name a few. This shows the importance of having good role models in the community and the positive impact they have on sport.

Sanctioning Athletes
Contracts are used to determine the rights and obligations of players and their governing body. Players also have a code of conduct which they must follow which outlines their expected behaviour and what sanctions can be enforced on the players who break the code. Sanctions can range from a fine to a suspension and even a life ban depending on the circumstances of the case.

Sports organisations have legal responsibilities in concern with sanctioning their players for wrongdoing on and off the field. These organisations also have moral obligations to establish high standards of behaviour and provide a safe, respectful and inviting sporting environment for everyone who is involved. Tribunals deal with the organisations complaints procedure and will assist sporting organisations in managing issue which arise.

Fair Playing Field?
An example of a political debate in sport involved Shane Warne’s drug scandal, former Australian cricket player who in 2003 tested positive for a banned diuretic. Warne received a one year ban from the sport in which put the Australian Cricket Board under extreme pressure to explain why he only received a one year ban which was only half the penalty recommended by the sports anti-doping code.This caused conflict between the two parties, why was Warne only punished half his recommended sentence? Was it because he was at his peak of his career, dominating the sport and the Australian Cricket Board felt that they needed him to win games? What would the punishment of been if it was a less high profile player who committed the incident?. This case signifies the politics involved with sanctioning players and how fair the system really is.

Court of Abitration
The Court of Arbitration for sport is an international body which settles disputes that are related to sport and politics. Disgraced Australian Olympic swimmer Nick D’Arcy was the subject of a bringing the sport into disrepute when he was involved with in an altercation with swimming teammate Simon Cowley who suffered serious facial injuries. D’Arcy was charged by police and Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates decided to terminate his membership of the Olympic team. D’Arcy appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration on the grounds that proper procedure was not followed. The AOC resolved that D’Arcy membership should be terminated. It was stated that D’Arcy’s conduct was ‘serious misconduct’ which also consisted of criminal misbehaviour. This highlights the politics involved and the seriousness of penalties handed out to athletes. Nick D’Arcy young talented swimmer about to participate in the Olympics but one mistake which was due to alcohol has impacted on his life significantly.

Media Influence
‘Sport and the media are two of the most powerful influences that affect how society works’. Media coverage can benefit the sporting business in a variety of different ways. Media can help create sponsorship deals, gain more spectators to the sport and create a positive profile for sport. But the media can also have a large negative impact on a sport, club or athlete. If you are a sporting athlete, incidents that happen off the field are bound to become public, not just through the traditional media outlets like the newspaper and television but through people making it available on the internet for the whole world to see.

Dog Act
Joel Monagham, Canberra Raiders star was involved in a crude, alcohol fuelled prank which involved a sex act with a dog that was published on the internet and went viral through social networking sites. It resulted in Monagham being labelled as an appalling and disgusting person which prompted him leaving the Raiders to pursue a career overseas away from the media limelight. This example highlights just how powerful media can be.

Media Impact
Sport stars are often placed on a pedestal and feel that normal rules do not apply to them but when a small minority go too far and commit very extreme incidents the media instantly gathers their findings and publishes it for everyone to view. The responsibility of the athlete is to act in a manner that will not bring the game into disrepute not to be highlighted as a poor role model who gains a large amount of negative media attention with their mug on the front page of every paper and being the top story on the national news. The media is a large business and has the ability to shatter a sport stars career.

Positive Role Model Influence
A true role model is someone who sets the right example on the field and inspires people off the field. Nathan Hindmarsh, Parramatta backrower is a perfect example and regarded as one of the most influential and inspiring role models in the NRL and Australian sport. Not only is he a great rugby league player he also spends hours a week working with charity’s, visiting young children in hospital, doing work overseas to help the less fortunate and working with grassroots sport promoting the game of rugby league. Hindmarsh has won a number of awards for his generosity, for example the NRL club’s player’s player which he has won seven times was also named the Women in League ‘favourite son’ in 2010 for his ongoing support for charities. Nathan Hindmarsh deserves every accolade that comes his way, but he just feel’s its part of his job and works hard to be the best role model in the community and creates a positive image for the sport.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, poor role models are having a negative impact on sport. Not only are they putting their careers at risk when they commit indiscretions they also have an overall affect on the club they are involved with, their sponsors and the whole sport in general. The likes of Tiger Woods, Todd Carney and Joel Monagham are impacting on the reputation and image of sporting athletes and making society believe that sport stars are not regarded as role models. There is evidence to suggest that it does not impact on the athletes fandom, that they become more popular if they are involved in a scandal. But is this the way that children should be taught to act and replicate this behaviour when their older? There are sport stars that are wonderful role models in the community but they are overshadowed by the frequent alcohol fuelled or drug related indiscretions that dominate the media across the country. So do you think sport stars are becoming less admirable as years go by?


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User:PhillipaDickens/BPS Essay 2011

Outline
The Australian Capital Territory is the second smallest state in Australia by population. Gymnastics is one of the less popular sports in Australia. The combination of both means that a very small group of people run the individual clubs as well as govern the sport in the state. This creates some issues in the sport when politics and business mix in such a small environment.

When politics gets involved in a small sport the results can be either negative or positive. There are some issues created that cause much conflict between those associated with the sport, however it may also create a close community. An example of a negative impact would be in the event that a decision has to be made by the committee where one club may benefit more than another, but the sport as a whole will benefit. The members of the committee who are not from the club that is benefited may be hesitant to endorse the decision. This is because while still having the sport as a whole at best interest, the members of the committee are still looking out for their club.

This paper will look at both the advantages and disadvantages of having a small sport being run by a small committee in a small state.

title: User:PhillipaDickens/BPS Essay 2011


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User:CHugginson/An Olympic Sport?

In recent years the popularity of pole dancing classes has sky rocketed, from celebrities such as Carmen Electra and Eva Longoria learning this art form, to classes in your local area offering this fitness revolution to your girl next door. There is no doubt that the popularity of Pole Dancing classes is on the increase, and is becoming a flourishing business in the fitness industry worldwide, offering fun and variety into any fitness routine. Very few people would know that there is a World Pole Sport Federation, which implements rules and regulations for running championships, and also talking of taking the sport to the Olympics.

With rising obesity levels in both children and adults, councils are banning studios from offering this type of fitness, due to the inappropriateness of the activity, but will allow fully naked lap dancing bars open (Barrett 2008), claiming children are already exposed to so many sexual images and there are many ways of keeping children fit other than pole dancing. This paper will discuss the increase in fitness professionals offering pole dancing for fitness around Australian and in Canberra, and the subsequent businesses that stem from these studios, such as apparel, equipment and pole dancing championships.

Because pole dancing is not recognised as a sport it raises questions over the legitimacy of competitions. Discussed in this paper will be some recent political issues, relating to race, gender, age and the public stigma that surrounds pole dancing and ultimately cause the US Embassy to refuse entry into the US to three Russian pole dancers competing in a competition (Pole Spin 2011).

It will also look into the requirements to become an Olympic sport, whether or not pole dancing should become the next Olympic sport.

Introduction
Imagine living next door to an Olympic Gold medalist, the same girl you used to swing around the clothes line with when you were growing up. For the past 6 years she has been working and training hard to reach the pinnacle in sport, Olympic gold. Imagine the joy and celebration in your street, when hosting a street party to watch her clinch the gold medal for Australia. Now I tell you the girl next door just became the first gold medalist at an Olympic competition in Pole Dancing.

Pole for fitness is not new

There are a number of examples of 'pole dancing' dating as far back as the 12th century such as, Chinese Pole a visual circus act, and Mallakhamb, a traditional Indian male sport, which requires gymnasts to perform tricks in concert on a vertical rope or pole.

While there were references to Mallakhamb in the 12th century, the sport did not become visible in practice until the 19th century, when it was revived by Balambhatta Dada Deodhar, a fitness instructor Traditional Indian Sports. It was introduced as a supporting exercise for wrestlers. Now 29 states in India compete at a national level.

It's thought the current pole dancing fitness craze has developed from both these art forms.

Pole Fitness v Pole Dancing
Although pole fitness has been around for hundreds of years, the pole dancing we're familiar with started in the 1920's in traveling fairs, entertaining small crowds in tents. The girls would dance suggestively around the tent pole.

Four different types of Pole have evolved.

 * Strictly fitness pole, taught in studios, and involves no heels, no costumes, and is more like a gym circuit.
 * Circus pole, is highly acrobatic, on purpose built poles, as seen in Cirque du Soleil.
 * Dance based pole, involves acrobatic moves combined with ‘conventional dance’ moves such as Latin, jazz, hip-hop.
 * Traditional sensual pole dancing (Australian Pole Dance 2011).

Morning Show with Larry and Kylie Pole Fitness Performance

Pole Dancing for Fitness in Canberra, Australia
The Australian Capital Pole Championships (2011) take place in November 2011 and offers the opportunity for professional and amateur men and women to compete and win prize money. The professional division is where instructors perform and have the chance to be entered into the semi finals of the International Pole Championships. The competition is judged by international performers.

There are a number of fitness studios in Canberra that offer pole dancing classes. One such studio is Fitsistas (2011) located in Braddon, Canberra.Fitsistas (2011) is the only studio in Canberra to employ qualified fitness instructors. Fitsistas (2011) is the ACT 2010 Personal Training Business of the year, and is the only pole dance studio in Australia to operate under the Fitness Industry Code of Practice (2011). They offer a variety of classes from beginners to advanced.

Pole Dancing for Fitness in Australia
The pole dancing industry is not limited to studios offering classes. The companies that supply these studios with their poles are now selling to the general public, so people can practice at home. These companies sell other essentials like liquid chalk for grip on the pole. An Australian company Pole Physics offers a range of beauty products to help with grip. Much like any other sport, pole dancing has its own merchandise with stores offering pole dancing apparel

Pole Dancing for Fitness around the world
Over 50 Countries participate in pole dancing, whether it be offering classes or hosting championships. There is also the International Pole Dance Fitness Association that aims to promote pole dancing as a new form of fitness, and regulate and organise the World Championships.

Definition of Politics
Politics is present in all aspects of our lives and is not limited to the art and science of government of the state. The Oxford Dictionary of Politics points out that "To say that an area of activity, like sport, the arts, or family life is not part of politics, or is ‘nothing to do with politics’, is to make a particular kind of political point about it, principally that it is not to be discussed on whatever is currently regarded as the political agenda."

When I mention pole dancing what's the first image that comes to mind? A seedy night club? Scantily clad girls with dollar bills being thrown at them?

Imagine this “sport” being taught to 7 year old girls and even offered as a school sport. Would you be outraged? Of course you would ... but what if your images are based on prejudice that influences your politics of the personal? (Sage 2010).

Personal Experience
''I signed up for pole dancing classes early in 2011. I wanted something that would challenge me. I heard that pole dancing was excellent strength training. Being a tomboy growing up playing rugby league and basketball, I was well out of my comfort zone. I had never done an ounce of dance or gymnastics when I was a child.''

''The morning after my first session, I could hardly move, I had discovered parts of my body I never knew I had, not to mention the bruises were worse than after any rugby match. But funnily enough I went back term after term. There is something about the thrill of completing a trick that you once thought impossible. Much like the thrill of riding that perfect wave.''

''I can notice the change pole dancing has had on my body. It's probably the best and most enjoyable core workout I have done. I have built definition and tone in my arms and back in a short period of time. Pole has given me confidence too. I have now moved up a level. I focus on putting moves together, and learning to invert on the pole.''

Breaking the Stereotype
Matty Shields breaks all the rules when it comes to the stereotypical pole dancer. He is an Aboriginal male pole dancer from the small country town of Walgett.

Recently Matty competed in Budapest in the double category for the World Pole Sport Fitness Championships. Matty, a nursing student, competed with Michelle Shimmy, a corporate lawyer turned pole dance instructor. The pair managed to clinch third spot, an amazing feat for any Aussie in the sporting world. Matty would like to see more male pole dancers as [http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/ex-australias-got-talent-contestant-matty-shields-with-michelle-shimmy-third-in-world-pole-dancing-championships/story-e6freuzi-1226159669294 “It's such a great way to get strong and flexible. Being able to pull yourself up and hold your own body weight - there's nothing more masculine than that!](Keys 2011).

People with Disabilities
You may also be lead to believe that pole dancing does not cater for people with disabilities. The International Pole Championships includes a disabled division in its competitions. Eri Kamimoto from Japan who was born deaf, but still able to perform to music took out top place.

Race and Religion
Recently a British pole dancing instructor caused a stir in the media when she was invited to teach pole dancing in Saudi Arabia. Ironically, Saudi Arabia has no history of strip clubs, so pole dancing actually suffers less stereotyping than it does in the west (Pole Exercise 2011). The family that took part in the private lessons saw pole dancing more as a form of exercise.

When Governments Intervene
At a local level some councils in the United Kingdom have banned pole dancing classes at a time when obesity levels are increasing governments at all levels should be encouraging all forms of physical activity. Pole dancing is not recognised as a sport in Australia and this creates some economic difficulties for some studios when they're treated the same as large gym businesses (Elder 2011).

Pole dancing is not recognised internationally as a sport. This caused some problems for three Russian pole dancers that were invited to a pole dancing competition. Authorities assumed since the girls were traveling to the USA for a pole dancing competition they were strippers, and the competition was only a front for an illegal operation.

Kids on the Pole
Recently there was public outrage around the world when a British fitness studio started offering pole dancing classes to young girls and boys (Patrick 2011). Critics claim that girls are already subjected to too many sexual images, and there are other ways young children can get fit. Although councils have banned pole dancing studios they do licence fully nude lap dancing establishments (Barrett 2008). Supporters will tell you that it's an excellent core strength and overall fitness that is fun, and builds confidence, and the girls are not taught sexual moves.

Kids on the Pole

While there are critics of children participating in pole dancing, there are some very successful young people involved in the sport. Pole dancing requires training, skill, and hard work to master (Pole Spin 2011). Children in playgrounds are natural pole dancers.

Requirements to become an Olympic sport
For a sport to be included into the Olympic program the International Olympic Committee (IOC) must determine whether the sport meets a range of criteria. The sport must be practiced globally and hold regular international competitions. The sport must have its own International Federation, that follows the Olympic Charter. The main issue is adhering to anti doping standards. The International Pole Dance Fitness Association holds numerous competitions throughout the year that has a number of athletes from all over the world compete.

While the IOC promotes sport for both men and women, there are two women only sports,namely rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming. While many people would think pole dancing is only for women, I have shown that males compete on the world stage. There are many sports that meet the requirements for inclusion in the Olympics, but the IOC has capped the number of sports in Summer Olympics at 28 (Olympic Charter 2011).

Argument For Inclusion
If Rhythmic Gymnastics and Synchronized Swimming can do it.....

The aim of this paper is not to debate the merit of these Olympic sports but to show the similarities between the sports, and to eliminate the stigma attached to the sport of pole dancing.

Oona Kivela Routine Video Link

After watching Oona's routine you will see that these girls that compete at an elite level, are just as serious about their discipline as any other athlete. You can see that this form of pole dancing is truly a sport that takes an enormous amount of strength and control to execute moves. Whether or not you agree pole dancing should be in the Olympics; there is no denying the similarity between this performance and that of a gymnast or synchronized swimmer. You can see by Oona's reaction that she has dedicated herself to training and pushed through the burns, blisters and tears.

Argument Against Inclusion
Lifestyle activities involve participation that strives to be unregulated and individualistic (Allison 2005). Participants of lifestyle sports would see their incorporation into the Olympics as selling out their alternative ideologies (Allison 2005). One snowboarder stated at the time of snowboarding’s inclusion into the Winter Olympics, “Success is measured in exhilaration not medals or money... How can we have a competition to measure who has the most fun?” (Allison 2005).

People would see the similarities with the rebellious culture of snowboarding and pole dancing. Many people participate in pole dancing for the fun of it, or the empowerment factor (Whitehead & Kurz 2009). If pole dancing was to be included it could lose its appeal as an alternative exercise.

It's hard to see how the IOC will be able to look beyond the stigma of pole dancing. The simple fact is, there will always be people that view pole dancing as an erotic dance that should be confined to strip clubs, not being beamed into our lounge rooms every four years.

Conclusion
By no means am I discrediting any Olympic sport. It takes an enormous amount of dedication, skill and strength to reach the pinnacle of any sport. It seems that we're easy to criticise unique sports that take an enormous amount of skill; skill most of would never have. Yet we easily praise people that kick a football, dribble a basketball, run around a track or swim 50 metres. Yes these athletes do it far better than any of us could dream, but we still reconginse their skills. Why is it we mock sports that most of us know we would never be able to do?

Whether you agree or disagree about the inclusion of pole dancing into the Olympics, I hope I have challenged you to question your original thoughts and stigma towards what is a flourishing business and increasingly becoming a popular fitness activity for men, women and children around the world.

title: User:CHugginson/An Olympic Sport?


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User:Brendanduffy/The revival of Australian Cricket

My presentation can be viewed here

The Australian men’s cricket team has built a reputation as one of the world’s strongest sides. In recent times however, this reputation has been flawed. The poor on field results, led to the formation of an independent review panel who was asked to analyse the performance and structure of Cricket Australia (governing body). The subsequent document which followed was titled the Argus Review. The review was conducted to suggest guidelines which could be implemented to assist Australia in returning to its winning ways. A return to sustained success for the national team will have many underlying benefits, such as sponsorship. In order to attract and retain sponsorship, prolonged success on the field is essential. Sponsorship is necessary to assure the game of cricket in Australia continues to grow and develop. TwentyTwenty cricket is the latest form of the game. This is an attractive, new concept which is loved by many fans. Due to huge popularity, TwentyTwenty offers players the chance to earn enormous amounts of money (particularly in India) in comparison to representing their state or country. The panel was faced with the issue of ensuring talented young Australian players are still solely focused on representing their country rather than traveling overseas to pursue the larger pay cheque.

Introduction
Since the 1990's, Australian's have come to expect the unrelenting dominance of their men's national cricket team. However, the 3-1 series loss to England during the 2010/2011 summer signaled the end of an era. Such a humiliating result on home soil was foreign to many Australian's who have grown up witnessing success. In turn, a critical review of the structure and running of Cricket Australia was ordered. The Argus Review subsequently followed. This review was compiled by a panel of recognised names, headed by former BHP Billiton chairman Don Argus. A range of sweeping changes have been suggested. Alterations to selectors, coaches and players are expected to ensue in the coming months. While the primary objective of the review is to generate on field success, the off field 'business' aspect of cricket in Australia is also likely to benefit from the Argus Review. Many Australians believed it was time for a major overhaul of Cricket Australia following a string of poor performances. The crushing series loss to England last summer and the drop to number five in the world Test cricket rankings sparked the necessary action. Although it may take years before the effect of the Argus Review is fully recognised, the report aims to re-direct Australian Cricket and return it to the pinnacle of the sport.

Test Cricket
The Australian men’s cricket team has a rich history of accomplishment in all three formats of the game. Test Cricket however, is considered to be the pinnacle of the sport. It is the oldest form of the game and requires the highest level of mental and physical toughness in order to achieve success. The Australian Cricket Team played its first Test match against England on the 15 March 1877. Since this time, Australia is undoubtedly the most successful Test cricketing record of any nation in the world. As of the 3rd of September 2011, Australia has played 731 matches, claiming victory in 341 of them for a winning percentage of 46.64. This statistic far outweighs any other nation. The next best winning percentage is England with 35.62%; followed closely by South Africa with 34.91%.

Much of Australia’s ongoing Test success has come between the late 1990’s and the late 2000’s under the guidance of captains; Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Both Waugh and Ponting led their respective sides to 16 consecutive Test match victories, these achievements still stand side by side as the greatest number of consecutive Test match wins by any country.

The teams that have successively held the highest rating since that date, by whole month periods, are:

One day and Twenty20 Cricket
The two newest forms of the game are ‘One Day’ (50 over) and ‘TwentyTwenty’ (T20) cricket. T20 is the more recent of the two, with the first international game being played between Australia and New Zealand on the 17th February 2005. Australia won this game, but has since been unable to go on and establish itself as a premier T20 nation. The T20 World Cup has been played three times having been in existence since 2007. Australia’s best result in this event is runner up in the most recent 2010 event. One Day cricket has been in existence for nearly 40 years, with the first match being played in the 1970s. Australia has had incredible success in this form of the game. Since the first World Cup in 1975, it has won four of the ten tournaments held, including three in a row (1999, 2003 & 2007). At present, Australia maintains it's world number one ranking in this format.

The Demise of Australian Cricket

Australia has always been a force in all forms of world cricket. This is evident predominately in the Test and One day arenas as the above records speak for themselves. Therefore, expectations are high and any poor performances by our national side are viewed by the cricketing world, media and fans as horrendous.

Australia is a cricket mad nation and can produce some of the best talents in the world. The men’s national side has been blessed with some of the best players the world has ever seen. Fortunately for Australia, many of these players happen to come along in the same era as each other to form one very formidable cricket team. With world class players like; Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist all competing together, they combine to become a powerhouse of world cricket, which in its time stood head and shoulders above any other nation.

As mentioned, Australians were very fortunate to have such great players representing their nation, leading it to great success. However, all good things must come to an end. Although Ricky Ponting is still playing, the other names mentioned above have all retired from international cricket. The retirements all came towards the end of the 2000s and left gaping holes in the Australian cricket team. Replacing the retirees to maintain Australia’s world dominance was not easy for Cricket Australia (CA) and may not have been handled in the best way. The player exits hurt the side’s success and of course a major uproar was caused as the results being produced by the Australian cricket team were not in sync with what was expected by the Australian public.

After regaining the Ashes on home soil in 2007, the Australian Test team went on to lose the next two series (2009 & 2011). It was the latter, a 3-1 series loss to England on home soil which saw Australia drop to the number five ranked Test nation in the world. This threw Australian cricket into turmoil, consequently sparking the need for an independent investigation into Cricket Australia and the way they conduct their operations. Thus, the Argus Report ensued.

What is it?
The Argus Review was released on the 19th August 2011. The review is a compilation of findings and suggestions for improvement within Cricket Australia. In fact, ‘the primary objective of the Review is to make recommendations to the CA Board that will position the Australian Cricket Team to return to leadership in all three formats of international cricket – Tests, ODIs and Twenty20’ (Argus Review 2011). The review was conducted by five panellists, headed by former BHP Billiton chief, Don Argus. He was aided by three former Test captains in Allan Border, Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh. Malcolm Speed, the former head of both Cricket Australia and the ICC (International Cricket Council) was the final member of the panel. The review outlines a number of difficult, yet attainable goals and targets set for the Australian Cricket team to achieve. In order to reach these goals, a range of strategies have been suggested. The review is specific to the men’s team only, however it is assumed that the successful elements from the paper will be implemented with the Southern Stars (women’s team) as well as all female high performance cricket. The review encompasses all aspects of the Australian Cricket teams operations as well as all structures and systems which assist it. This includes, for example, the Centre of Excellence, state competitions and talent identification and development processes.

Goals and Strategies
The ultimate objective of the Argus Review is stated in the above section. However, the review panel was also asked to:

 * Determine the reasons behind Australia’s dramatic performance decline in recent years.
 * Offer suggestions for changes necessary to deliver prolonged success, including;
 * Restoring Australia as the number one team in Test cricket within four years.

In the shorter term, more tangible goals were set for the review panel to offer their advice about how to achieve the following:
 * Qualifying for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (2013).
 * Regaining the Ashes that same year.
 * Winning the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup (ODI).
 * Winning the 2012 and 2014 World Twenty20.
 * Argus Review 2011

Player Wages
Until recent times, cricket players have never been as financially sound as players of many other sports. In fact, the 2010 Australian Business Review Weekly (BRW) names only one cricketer on their top 10 sports rich list. However, since the introduction of the T20 game, cricket has become much more lucrative. The shorter format of the game is more appealing to many people. There is more action and the game is completed within three hours. In addition, TwentyTwenty cricket is marketed as the new, vibrant form of cricket. Thus the crowds have been drawn to witness this spectacle.

T20 cricket, and in particular India, have changed cricket forever. After realising the popularity of the shortest form of the game, India developed the IPL (Indian Premier League). Each team in this league is privately owned and is permitted four overseas players. Consequently this competition attracts some of the world’s best players. The worldwide interest in the annual tournament results in large amounts of sponsorship which generates significant revenue. This, in turn benefits many parties financially. The most significant however, is the players. Players can earn upwards of $500,000 for roughly six weeks work (IPL Player auctions 2011).

Australia has since established its own T20 domestic competition (Big Bash League), which in 2011 has been revamped to include city (rather than state) based teams which will be sold for private ownership. This revamp to the competition has been addressed in the Argus Report. Although private ownership may be financially beneficial for each team, the report details how it could also be harmful to Australian cricket. As stated in the review ‘''private owners will not have the same objectives as CA, so introducing them to the Australian cricket system risks compromising the achievement of CA’s goals. For example, private owners have a strong incentive to expand the Big Bash regardless of its impact on international or State Cricket. This may compromise our goal of being No.1 in Test Cricket’'' (Argus Review 2011). As a result, potential owners are limited to buying a maximum of 49% of the team. As a consequence though, corporate tycoons who would be likely to invest are reluctant to spend their money as they would not have the controlling stake (Dorries 2011).

Sponsorship
The above section speaks about player wages. It has been highlighted that many cricketers do not earn extravagant amounts of money despite playing their sport professionally. Endorsements are relied upon by numerous players to supplement their income, while for others, endorsements simply inflate an already sizable income. Shane Watson, currently Australia’s best all-rounder was earlier this year tipped to become Australia’s highest paid player with a salary of around $2 million. However, sponsorship and endorsement deals meant that he was in fact expected to earn nearly $5 million (Dorries & Badel 2011).

Sponsorship is not only important for the players, it is also vital for the survival and development of the sport of cricket itself. This is reflected by the comments of Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland when referring to (former) sponsor ‘Travelex’. Sutherland states ‘success at the 2007 World Cup, and overseas tours in general, relies on many factors; and one of the principal factors behind Australia’s success abroad in recent years is its partnership with Travelex who is a wonderful supporter of Australian cricket’ (Travelex Australia 2005). The aim of the Argus Review is to return the Australian cricket team to the top of the sport again. If this goal is met, the underlying benefits such as increased sponsorship opportunities could be enormous for the continued development and success of our national team. As a sponsored team becomes more successful, they become more popular, thus they are exposed to a wider audience. In turn the sponsorship of that team becomes more sought after by companies as they know their brand will be well represented in front of a huge potential market. The sports team benefits from their success as their sponsorship rights will attract an inflated price (Khera Communications 2007).

Not only is sponsorship money important but so too is government funding. In 2010, the federal government gave $17.5 million to Cricket Australia to develop the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Brisbane. The COE develops many of Australia’s top cricketers and is an integral part of generating the next batch Australia’s young talent. Construction of the site begun in October 2011. It is hoped the improved facilities will contribute to the success of the national team in the not too distant future.

Junior Development and the Growth of the Game
Not only is success at the highest level important to attract and maintain fans and sponsors. It is also a major tool for enticing children to play the game of cricket. Children idolise their sporting heroes and want to replicate their on field success (Taylor 2008). Quite simply however, very few children would want to imitate the performances of a team which is consistently under achieving. The effects of this issue could have significant bearings in the coming years. Future Australian cricket teams will be composed from today’s kids. This statement is well supported by Cricket Victoria’s ‘Beyond the Boundary – Resource Kit’ which declares ‘the long term future of our great game is dependent upon embracing all people irrespective of their age, gender, race, religion or ability’.

Conclusion
Australia’s gradual demise in world cricket over recent seasons led Don Argus and his panel to compile the Argus Review in an attempt to return the Australian cricket team to the peak of the sport. The success generated on the field is beneficial in a number of ways off the field. For example, sponsorship is attracted with greater ease when the team is performing. The sponsorship money can then be used to further develop facilities and programs to ensure continued success. The Argus Review also acknowledges the rapid increase in popularity in T20 cricket. For the players, this form of cricket is very lucrative. Therefore, steps need to be implemented to ensure talented young Australian’s are still aspiring to represent their country in Test cricket and not just chasing the big dollars overseas. On the whole, the Argus Review lists many strategies to improve the current situation of Australian cricket. Although some of these strategies may take years before the effects are fully evident. It appears as though cricket in Australia is again heading in the right direction, and a return to the top of the world is inevitable.

Reference List

 * Argus, D. Border, A. Speed, M. Taylor, M. Waugh, S. (2011). "The Argus Review" http://cricket.com.au/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_E7BD4AB7C5122C81ACBA4E24EFD72521EE920800/filename/00001697-source.pdf viewed 17 October 2011

 * Australian Sports Commission. (2010). "Funding boost of $17.5 million for Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence" http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/funding_boost_of_$17_million_for_cricket_australias_centre_of_excellence viewed 17 October 2011

 * Cricket Country Staff. (2011). "Don Argus report on Australia's fall to be made public" http://www.cricketcountry.com/cricket-articles/Don-Argus-report-on-Australia-s-fall-to-be-made-public-/4785 viewed 19 October 2011

 * Dorries, B. (2011). "Twenty20 Big Bash not quite so big" http://m.news.com.au/Cricket/pg/0/fi866830.htm viewed 19 October 2011

 * Dorries, B & Badel, P. (2011). "Shane Watson to become highest paid Australian cricketer" http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/shane-watson-to-become-highest-paid-australian-cricketer/story-e6frey50-1225991982149 viewed 21 October 2011

 * ESPNCricinfo. (2011). "Australia/Records/Test Matches" http://stats.espncricinfo.com/australia/engine/records/index.html?class=1;id=2;type=team viewed 17 October 2011

 * ESPNCricinfo. (2011). "ICC World Twenty20 2010 Results" http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-twenty20-2010/engine/series/412671.html viewed 17 October 2011

 * ESPNCricinfo. (2011). "Records/Test matches/Team records" http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/105118.html viewed 17 October 2011

 * Gillett, S. (n.d). "Beyond the Boundary - Resource Kit" http://cricket.com.au/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_B90BEC5183BFF1811F2A54431E2E8B3485922800/filename/00000143-source.pdf viewed 26 October 2011

 * Khera Communications. (2007). "Why sponsor? Sponsorship benefits & event sponsorship benefits" http://www.morebusiness.com/running_your_business/marketing/Sponsorship-Marketing.brc 2007 viewed 21 October 2011

 * The Daily Telegraph. (2010). "Mark Webber tops BRW's 2010 sport rich list" http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/mark-webber-tops-brws-2010-sport-rich-list/story-e6frexni-1225964006593 viewed 18 October 2011

 * Taylor, J. (2008). "Your children are under attack" http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XOVp6fWPjD4J:drjimtaylor.com/books/children_under_attack.php+kids+wanting+to+replicate+sporting+heroes&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au viewed 26 October 2011

 * Travelex Australia. (2005). "Travelex renews Australian cricket contract" http://www.travelex.com/au/press/ENG/DOC_RenewAustralian_12082005.asp viewed 21 October 2011

Wikipedia Pages

 * Ashes series results viewed 17 October 2011

 * Australia's cricket history viewed 17 October 2011

 * Cricket World Cup viewed 17 October 2011

 * First Australian Test Match viewed 17 October 2011

 * First T20 match viewed 17 October 2011

 * IPL player auction viewed 17 October 2011

 * One day cricket World Cup viewed 17 October 2011

 * Test Cricket records viewed 17 October 2011