“Team Orders” Dakar BMW-Minis – is it Sport or cheating?

When I heard the word, and saw the headlines: “Dakar: Team Orders for Mini’s decides who wins and who does not,” I gagged on my Rainbow’s End Cabernet Franc. Team orders! What the hell is that? Has it risen from the dead, this ugly thing, like the proverbial biblical character, Lazarus (although he may not have been ugly)? Did this ‘thing’ not die with Ferrari on the Formula 1 racetrack? Did it not die because it was wrong and hated by everyone except the greysuits and red-eyed Cyclops supporters?

By Alexx Zarr

I calmed down and decided to give thought to my ideas about sport; that thing, phenomenon, activity we are supposed to do for fun, to keep fit, to keep trim, to show our prowess, and so forth.

It seems that there used to be, at least in my consciousness, if not in reality, a time when the four letters ‘oprst’ did more than switch alphabetic place to spell the word ‘sport’, but was a term for actual behaviour. The Free Dictionary confirms this notion (Sport is?). ‘A sport’ is, “One known for the manner of one’s acceptance of rules, especially of a game, or of a difficult situation.”

My intuition about what sport encapsulates is well-expressed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (EthicsSport-CCES). I have taken the liberty of editing their position slightly.

Playing fair also has to do with making choices. As we interact with each other in sport, or as spectators of sport, we must regularly consider and define what we think is right and what is not. Sport engages us in a collective effort to pursue human excellence. As [we and] our children interact with each other in sport, [our] ability to make good choices about fair play issues matures along with [our] ability to think and learn about what makes for a rewarding and fulfilling life in society.

Here is a view by Michael Josephson (What-will-Matter?), world renowned for his work on ethics. Sportsmanship is the ethical and moral dimension of sports. It is demonstrated by a number of attributes and attitudes such as fair play, respect for the rules and traditions of the sport and various traits of good character including integrity (abiding by the letter and spirit of the rules and concepts of honor); demonstrated respect for others including teammates, opponents, officials and spectators; accountability, self-control, and graciousness in victory and defeat.

Back to my gut response to BMW’s team orders. What such a decision meant is that the specific car (team) unable to win through sportsmanship was contrived to win, all for the sake of filthy lucre, brand (stupidity), and preventing a true sporting outcome. Such a corporate decision is the antithesis of sportsmanship. It is indeed shameful that a mighty global brand with all of its intellect could be found naked when it comes to principles of right and wrong.

It looked to me that for the participants, even the administered winner, it was an embarrassing victory. We shall remember it for all the wrong reasons. If I was in the market for a Mini, I would buy something else.

For anyone who suggests that in 2014 these kinds of ethics-based principles are obsolete, I say they are on the wrong side of right. The attributes that make sport what it is, are inviolate. If they change, it is because we change them. It is up to us, not some power in the ether.

NASCAR has got it right
NASCAR has got it right

An example of what we can do is found in one of the most competitive countries and sports, NASCAR racing in the USA. They have specific rules for so-called team orders: Section 12, Rule 4, Article L reads as follows: NASCAR requires its competitors to race at 100 percent of their ability with the goal of achieving their best possible finishing position in an event. Any competitor who takes action with the intent to artificially alter the finishing positions of the event or encourages, persuades or induces others to artificially alter the finishing position of the event shall be subject to a penalty…’Artificially altered’ shall be defined as actions by any competitor that show or suggest that the competitor did not race at 100 percent of their ability for the purpose of changing finishing positions…

I am pleased that we have not descended to the Orwellian view of sport, just yet. Let the best person or team win.

‘Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.’ (George Orwell).

 

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