Sports are physical activities in which one team tries to prevent another team from scoring. A wide variety of physical feats can be considered sports, such as running races, wrestling, and hunting.
The meaning of sports has varied considerably through the ages and across cultures. But it can be broadly defined as any competitive event in which one team is actively engaged in stopping the other from scoring, and includes rugby, cricket, and tennis.
Sport is a powerful cultural form, and there is a wealth of writing on the subject. It can be found in newspapers, magazines, websites, radio and television broadcasts, book publishing, and the coaching of athletes.
Athletes and sports are an important part of many national cultures. They contribute to identity formation and often forge traditions that reflect religious, social, or political values.
There is also a wide range of emotions associated with sports. These emotions range from passionate identification with the representative team or a fellow fan to ecstasy when a last-minute goal transforms a humiliating defeat into a triumphant victory.
Moreover, sports are a great leveller: You can lose a game and still win the next one. It teaches you to never give up and that success is always round the corner.
In addition, global processes are altering the power balances in a variety of contexts, including sports. For example, non-Western cultures are resisting Western dominance in sports and maintaining, fostering, and promoting indigenous recreational pursuits.