Playing Sport As a Way of Exercise

“Sport” has been the common standard for judging sport competitions for many years. However, its definition has become considerably more vague in recent years, in favour of what a person considers to be a popular sport. “Sport” is used to describe any type of physical activity, both organised or unorganised, which through organised or casual participation, aims at developing or expressing personal fitness and personal well-being, formulating or acquiring personal outcomes in sport at any level. Some of the activities which have been deemed to be part of a sport are motor sport such as motor racing or motor bike racing, rugby, golf, tennis, swimming, hockey, horse racing, cricket, snooker or billiards. A further narrowing down of the meaning of “sport” is seen in the arena of amateur sport, where non-professional players may participate in competitions to develop their skills.

In America, the term “professional sports” is often used to refer to any form of physical activity undertaken by athletes as part of a training program, either professionally or informally. Such programs include basketball, baseball and football, ice hockey, soccer, cheerleading, wrestling and golf, which are professionally organised, run by governing bodies. The majority of the governing body for these professional sports are based in North America, with some governing bodies based in Europe and Asia.

Professional sport, as defined above, includes any competitive physical activity in which an individual compete in order to acquire some form of sporting outcome. In professional sport, the term “professional” can mean the participant is being paid wages or is being paid to play a part in a team or organisation. The level of skill required to play a sport is not a relevant factor. If the whole body of the athlete is fit and capable, then that athlete is considered to be exercising in a professional sense.