In today’s competitive world, there are many ways for countries to compete in Sports. While core nations may challenge other countries on the field of play, control of ideological resources is often concentrated in the West, with the IOC and headquarters of most international sports federations located in the U.S., Australia, and South Korea. Regularly recurring sports festivals have allowed non-core countries to further cement their identity and enhance international recognition. However, such events have not always worked in the past.
In the late 17th century, in England, the concept of record in sports first appeared. The Puritans had driven traditional pastimes underground, which eventually led to the development of organized games. The Marylebone Cricket Club, established in 1787, was instrumental in the development of cricket and rationalized competition. Today, many countries have daily sports newspapers that trace their roots to this time. In a few centuries, the idea of a sports record has become an essential aspect of sport.
Aside from the competitive aspects of sports, the emotional dimension of sports is also a major topic. Emotions in sport reflect the athlete’s self-evaluation of performance and their perception of other people’s evaluations. Some feelings are anticipatory, while others occur during and after performance. Sports often have rules for how athletes should behave when they are feeling certain emotions. For example, the national anthem and post-game victory celebrations both require appropriate behavior.