Sport and Alcohol

Using philosophical arguments rooted in ethics and virtue theory, this book examines the alcohol-tolerant ethos that pervades contemporary sport, and the initiation of members of the sporting practice community into problematic drinking. It argues that sport should be aware of the potential for alcoholism and provide the right type of support for athletes, that sports people can be seen as role models, and that it’s preferable that athletes set good examples rather than bad. Drawing on case studies of individual problem drinkers, it calls for a nuanced understanding of the relationship between bad behaviour and underlying causes, and for a re-evaluation of how such individuals are treated.