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BGonline.org Forums
Rules/Ethics Question from Novi
Posted By: Michael Petch In Response To: Rules/Ethics Question from Novi (Phil Simborg)
Date: Saturday, 16 July 2011, at 9:19 p.m.
Following the rules does not necessarily lead to moral and ethical choices. You can follow all the rules laid out but it doesn't necessarily mean your actions are sportmanslike.
The win at all costs attitude is not present in all sports as you state. It is also not the message I would want to teach younger kids either. Being a good sport and fostering that at a young age should be priority number one. This includes playing in the Open division of a major ABT event - that is just MY opinion.
If the situation of a bad resign had occurred to me in a final(for money), I would have pointed it out to the opponent (assuming i saw it) and had the match continue. I wouldn't care about the Calcutta or the Sidepools. Being a good sport to my opponent at hand is key (personal opinion). My ethical and moral standards would not be dictated by any immoral or unethical people who were foolish enough to risk their cash on the side. If there is an issue for the side pools and calcutta then maybe the problem is that they should be eliminated from the ABT to prevent problems.
I can think of a sporting event where unwritten rules of etiquette and being honorable often trump winning. Although winning is the preferred goal, doing so in a sportmanlike or ethical way is also very important. That event is the Tour de France (And also happens to be true for many of the multi day tours around the world). I mention the TdF because it is running right now. This is one event I do watch religiously.
The TdF has many goals (different ways to win whether you want to win general classification, best sprinter, best climber, best rookie jerseys etc). The Tour has a set of written rules that govern the race but the players have an unwritten code of ethics and etiquette.
If anyone follows these type of events, they can see this etiquette in play throughout the race. It may be as simple as the Peloton slowing down if there is a crash at the rear of the group to a much more interesting situation - what if the overall leader (Yellow jersey) ends up in a crash (maybe it was because of their own fatigue or mental mistake or mechanical failure). Usually the unwritten rule is that if the Yellow Jersey gets in trouble you don't go on the attack. This is contrary to the view that one should win at all costs.
In 2010's event this was brought to light in the famous "chaingate". Andy Shcleck in a late stage of the event had the yellow jersey. Alberto Contador who was challenging Andy for the yellow jersey, and were battling it out. Andy got the better of Alberto during the stage and went onto an attack and got a few second lead. Unfortunately Andy's chain broke. Alberto Contador didn't just continue racing he went on the attack. Alberto won the stage and got the yellow jersey and held onto an 8 second lead all the way to Paris.
This incident split the cycling worlds view, but I think more people side with the etiquette in the sport in this case although the opposite view is also held by some past winners. But it struck at the heart of what the event is about. Contador eventually (after the race) did publically apologize to Andy.
If you follow the race rules then this didn't matter and was acceptable. But the TdF and other tour races are also about being a good sport.
I personally believe that etiquette and promoting sportmanlike conduct is something that Backgammon should be fostering at all levels (even Open division) rather than the winner take all attitude. If people want to popularize backgammon then maybe having Backgammon seen as a gentleman's sport is not such a bad idea. Again just my personal opinion.
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