The Concept of Respect in Athletes within the Scope of Fair Play: Obligation/Moral Duty

This study was designed to determine how athletes evaluate the concept of respect. Within the scope of the study, the effects of the concept of respect on the result of the competition, showing respect in case of victory and defeat, athletes' approaches to referee decisions within the framework of respect, and what are the expectations from modest and honest athletes are examined. Qualitative study method was adopted in the study and phenomenology qualitative research design was preferred. The study group consisted of 17 athletes selected by the convenience sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods. The interview method was used as a data collection tool and 6 questions prepared in line with the semi-structured interview were directed to the participants. The athletes were informed that the interviews would be recorded and that the researcher would later convert the recordings into text and analyse them. The interviews lasted an average of 30 minutes. Descriptive and content analysis were applied to the texts obtained. As a result of the analysis, some athletes see the concept of respect as a moral obligation, while others see it as an obligation in line with the fair play and moral expectations of the environment. It is thought that the concept of respect has both positive and negative reflections on the competition. Athletes state that whether the reaction to referee decisions is respectful or disrespectful varies according to the importance of the competition, that is, according to the relevant conditions. The expectations from the modest athlete, the superiority of the opponent and the behaviours expected from the opponent differ according to the defeat and victory situations. In addition, athletes who have values and are approved by their environment are characterized as honest athletes.