Sport allows people to achieve different goals among which keeping fit and healthy, interacting with others depending on the sport they practice. Indeed some sports are individual ones (running, shooting, swimming, athletics); in these games you compete with opponents but you may also practise on your own; while other sports are collective ones such as ball games (for instance football, volleyball, handball, basketball, rugby, hockey, etc.) Some may require specific equipment such as a bicycle, a ball, weights, boxing gloves, golf clubs, or ice skates. Some animals may be needed as well, for example horses to go horse-riding.
A lot of people do sport so as to look for well-being and personal fulfillment. People who practise on a regular basis know that sport helps them to feel good, it gives pleasure and fun even to those who are only supporters; football fans are often over excited during a football match. Sport is also a way to socialize that’s why sport events are often organized to bring people together. Sport is a reflection of society since rules must be obeyed, it also has a great impact on education, in fact it is part of the school subjects.
The Olympic Games are known all over the world, they help to give a kind of perception of the whole country, they are hyper-mediatized and often have social and political impact. In the 2010’s some American athletes chose to kneel down during the national anthem to protest against police brutality and racism.
The Commonwealth Games are specific games addressed to the members of the Commonwealth, they promote diversity, equality, friendship and democracy. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 72 nations and territories under the guidance of the United Kingdom. Their games have taken place every four years since 1930 and they are the most representative symbol of the Commonwealth. In 1994 for the first time in history athletes with disability participated so that it gave a different perspective to handicaped people.
The paralympic games originated in the 1960’s when sport became a means to treat and rehabilitate disabled people. Now they take place in the same city as the Olympic Games and are organised a few weeks after them. Sport is seen as a way to surpass oneself and achieve great sport performances.
