The Social Significance of Sports
Each significant structure in society has connections to sports. Sports have benefits and drawbacks, just like any other social institution. In addition, sports have always been a part of societies worldwide in some form. Most people’s lives have purpose and passion due to sports, which promote social justice and solidarity. Regarding technology, gender identity, and gender expression, the sports scene has changed and will continue to do so.
The Rise of Sports Technology
Sports technology is everywhere, including soccer, rugby, and cricket fields. The appeal of outdoor activities like running, baseball, cricket, and rugby, as well as indoor games like chess, has grown recently, raising the status of sporting technology. The introduction of modern sports technologies has benefited physical therapists, strengthened players’ thoughts, and enhanced training plans, each of which has assisted athletes in scoring better overall throughout various tournaments (Delaney and Madigan 2021: 395). As more athletes opt to employ wearable devices, the development of the sports technology sector is anticipated to continue rising. However, the broad adoption of ICT in the sports sector has also made a substantial contribution to the engagement of spectators and the physiological improvement of athletes.
Innovative Equipment and Athlete Monitoring
Throughout the years, the world of sports has been touched by several fundamental technical breakthroughs, including tracking systems, drone cameras, and GoPro cameras. The broad picture of the pitch that drone recordings of football games offer is a benefit (Delaney and Madigan 2021: 394). The regulating organizations for sports must keep up with technological advancements, and for the time being, they permit teams to utilize them during their training. The GoPro camera has become the industry standard for recording action sports since it produces panoramic, high-definition footage, films, and still images. The GoPro is a popular camera because it is lightweight and compact and can be attached to any rotating object, including animals, people, and athletic goods.
In addition to evaluating their running routes, additional technologies involve fitting football players with sensors in their shoulder armor to gauge their pace and how long they run (Delaney and Madigan 2021: 394). Sports lovers can “have an immersive and fulfilling experience while viewing sports events and activities thanks to the new technologies utilized in the industry. The proponents of this proposal must explain the drawbacks of contemporary innovations like online gambling.
The Debate Over Video Games as Sports
Another development in sports organizations is the debate over video games as sports. According to estimates, more than 100 million Americans participate in video games, and well over a billion users globally play for more than 3 billion hours each week (Delaney and Madigan 2021: 400). The sports business is aware of the fact that a majority of these users enjoy playing video games that are based on sports. As a consequence, gamers can choose from a variety of sports-related games. Sporting video programs’ visuals improve yearly, making the gameplay more lifelike.
However, advocates of video games as a sport must offer sufficient proof to back up their claims. Gaming is not a sport just because there are tournaments with fans and internet viewers. Second, there is no requirement for something to be a sport to have onlookers or millions of followers. Many TV series have millions of consumers, but nobody has ever considered this well-liked comic a sport. Whether playing video games requires physical effort is still up for debate, but it is clear that they do not require particularly sophisticated athletic abilities.
Transgender Inclusion in Sports
The development of transgender athletes’ regulations by the governing entities is another trend in sports. Dedication to transgender inclusivity in sporting activities is required, especially in restrooms and other group facilities. There is a bias against transgender people in numerous areas, including sports.
Locker spaces that accept transgender sportsmen on the grounds of their sense of gender are essential to reduce stigma, advance security, indicate a devotion to inclusiveness, and reduce the possibility of liability. This support follows recommendations by the NCAA, the governing body for domestic and leisure collegiate sports, and several regional organizations, including the YMCA of Metro Chicago (Cunningham, Buzuvis, and Mosier 2018: 371). These places could be essential to transgender people who may feel uncomfortable in gender-specific facilities.
Other amenities that are not gender-based might serve a more constrained role, such as a set of day rooms for clients who would rather change and take a bath at home. However, those who support this notion must provide details on how they intend to prevent sexual harassment and assault from occurring if transgender individuals are allowed to use locker rooms matching their gender orientation.
Balancing Progress and Pitfalls in Sports Technology
Sports have benefited from the introduction of novel technologies. Thanks to these advances in the industry, sports enthusiasts can enjoy a rich and complete experience while watching games and having fun, which may also help players execute at their best. However, it may nonetheless pose a danger to some operations that may need more time to be ready to run as smoothly as they once did. Sports companies need to ensure that their creations have more benefits than drawbacks.
Works Cited
Cunningham, George B., Erin Buzuvis, and Chris Mosier. 2018. “Inclusive Spaces and Locker Rooms for Transgender Athletes.” Kinesiology Review 7(4):365–74.
Delaney, Tim and Tim Madigan. 2021. “What’s Trending in Sports.” Pp. 393–416 in The Sociology of Sports: An Introduction. 2nd ed. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc.