How Sports Are Defined

While it can be difficult to define a sport, participation in a sporting event can be defined by the observer’s definition of the term. It can be informal or formal, and it can also be dependent on what role one plays within the sporting event. People may participate in sport as an athlete, coach, trainer, instructor, or a spectator. It may also be a paid activity, or it can be impromptu or solo. Other factors may influence whether the activity is considered a sport, such as the setting in which it takes place.

Modern sport began as a way to preserve man’s home-field advantage. It will eventually lose its advantage, but there are many precedents to illustrate this. The first known instance of a pub meeting establishing women’s rights to participate in sports is in 1863, when “Freeborn John” and the Levellers refused to accept women. That pub meeting, however, set in motion the evolution of sport in which women and interracial participation are now a major part, as well as the never-ending quest for aesthetic appeal.

Archery was a popular form of sport among the bourgeoisie in the Middle Ages. The game was played with great fanfare, and archery companies marched behind the patron saints of archery. These matches were also held for the lower classes, with contests being held at various stages of the competition. The games were accompanied by grand feasts. However, drunkenness was rampant, and a Pritschenkoenig was hired to keep the game orderly and entertain the crowd with witty verses.