 "Photo: DTH/Logan Price")
Wednesday night's panel discussion, "Challenge of Ethics in Sports," was met with a full house.
Former NFL football player Joe Ehrmann was the event's keynote speaker. He said he believes the most important ethical issues in sports today stem from what he calls "the crisis of masculinity."
The event was the brainchild of Jan Boxill, director of UNC's Parr Center for Ethics. Boxill, who has edited the book titled "Sports Ethics: an Anthology," says the issue is especially relevant in today's world.
"I think that while sports reflects society, it also reflects society in ways that nothing else does," she said.
Boxill said she believes that there is a greater focus on winning than ever before in today's athletic programs - a sentiment echoed by the seven panelists.
Ehrmann said young boys are taught that manhood stems from three things: athletic ability, sexual conquest and economic success.
Instead of a way to validate these ideas of masculinity, Ehrmann said, sports should be about "relationships and a cause."
"To me, sports is nothing more than an educational activity to develop character."
His speech was followed by a panel discussion with speakers including athletics director Dick Baddour, UNC quarterback Joe Dailey, and William Friday, the president emeritus of the UNC system.
Panelists and education leaders agreed that one of the most important causes of ethical lapses in sports today is the obsession with winning.
"We're a society of 'winning is everything,'" said Elizabeth Hedgpeth, an exercise and sports science professor. She said she recalled the days when kids played sports "until they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces," simply for the joy of the game.
Money presents an ethical challenge on all levels when a sport feels more like a profession than a pastime, panelists said.
"Money has become the dominant force in intercollegiate athletics," Friday said. He added that Carolina plays more football games than it used to in order to make more money and that the need for money also means that TV stations' schedules dictate when games are played.
The solution, panelists agreed, comes down to integrity.
"Private victories, to me, precede public victories," said Dailey, emphasizing the importance of each player's commitment to ethical behavior. He also said that coaches must meet players' misconduct with visible punishments to promote integrity.
Other panelists added that university officials, starting at the top, also must have the integrity to balance sports and academics, ending what they call an "arms race."
The forum was sponsored by the Parr Center in conjunction with several other programs at a cost of about $5,000.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
