Play by the Rules

Integrity in sports is taking a nosedive. But there are still good role models who teach the importance of playing by the rules—like Princess Haya.

It is sad to see seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong accused of breaking doping rules and threatened with losing his medals and being banned from competition. No matter the rights and wrongs of his case—with this type of publicity, the public perception of integrity in sports is taking another beating.

I am very involved in equestrian sports. Even in my equestrian world, I have seen world-class jumping riders stoop to doping or killing horses in order to collect insurance money. These riders were banned.

I have to admit to a feeling of deep sadness when I hear of any sporting hero being stripped of medals or banned from future competitions for not adhering to the rules. These rules ensure the integrity of any sport we love.

Role models are important

We teach our children to play fair and with skill and to stay within the rules, so it hurts when the role models they look up to disappoint everyone. The temptations are becoming even more powerful because of increasingly lucrative contracts for athletes.

However, we admire those who stick to the rules no matter what.

Princess Haya’s example

Princess Haya is the daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan. Her mother was killed in a helicopter accident when she was just 2 years of age. She has been riding internationally since the age of 13. She competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is now the president of the International Equestrian Federation, the international governing body of equestrian sports.

Princess Haya is working hard to ensure the cleanness of equestrian sports and that riders treat their horses with kindness and respect. The world of equestrian sports has come to admire her because of this.

In 2010, I had the privilege of traveling to the World Equestrian Games with the Para-Dressage Canadian Team. This was the first time the games had ever been held outside of Europe. Kentucky, with its beautiful landscapes in the heart of Bluegrass Country, has been described as “horse heaven” and was an incredibly popular site for the games.

It was heartening to hear Princess Haya at the opening of the World Equestrian Games. She spoke about some of the elements that make up good sportsmanship. She said if the competitors come to the games and play fair by the rules for themselves, for other competitors and for their horses, then they will go home winners regardless of the final standing. Integrity and good sportsmanship come first. Medals are not as important.

In the quest for extravagant monetary returns, the force for good in sports has often been relegated to second place. Unfortunately, these days many sports are not played on skill alone, but on brute force and on taking unfair advantage of our fellow human beings.

The apostle Paul urged playing by the rules

Centuries ago the apostle Paul voiced concerns about playing by the rules. His words have been preserved for us today and are almost like they were written yesterday: “And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5).

Or, as the Good News Translation puts it, “An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prize unless he obeys the rules.”

Good sportsmanship, following the rules and integrity are important in sports. They are also important in life. Read more about living this kind of life at LifeHopeandTruth.com.

Lynn Marshall is an equestrian coach for Equine Canada. She and her husband, Graemme, serve the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in the Toronto, Ontario, area.