Philosophy of Sport: Key Questions by Emily Ryall

Author:Emily Ryall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Figure 18.1 – Emil Zátopek

What this perhaps indicates is that although there are exceptions to the rule in non-aesthetic sports, there is an aesthetic value to sports performance that is based upon a relationship between beauty and skill. This is especially the case for so-called ‘aesthetic sports’ that are judged on movements that have been deemed to be of merit precisely for their aesthetic quality. That there are aesthetic norms built into the concept of ‘vault’ and ‘dive’ highlights the distinction between ‘purposive’ and ‘aesthetic’ sports, and was noted by David Best when he said:

‘[F]or whereas not any way of dropping into the water could count as even a bad dive, any way of getting the ball between the opponents’ posts, as long as it is within the rules, would count as a goal, albeit a very clumsy or lucky one.’5

Even in non-aesthetic sports, whereby the victor is determined by the successful achievement of a particular goal (e.g. finishing the race first, or getting a ball into the net more times than the opponent), there does still seem to be a degree of correlation between skill and aesthetic appreciation. Moreover, it is this correlation that is appreciated most by spectators and promoters of particular sports, and is considered in more detail in Chapter 19.

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