Newswise — The hearts of many Americans fell and walls of distrust rose when news of Floyd Landis testing positive for illegal doping broke only days after he won the Tour de France. Director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University cautions not to give up on sports, because it is not inherent in sport to push athletes to cheat, but the loss of perspective which affects people in every walk of life.
"Everyday people are accused of cheating. We see it in the media with cases like Enron, Martha Stewart, Tyco, and unfortunately sport. In all cases the people involved have lost perspective, and stop thinking about the people that rely on them like employees, investors, fans, teammates, and family," said Roby.
"If these allegations prove to be true that Floyd Landis took illegal or barred substances it is tremendously disappointing," said Roby. "It suggests that people can't trust what they see on the playing field, anymore."
According to Roby, when an athlete losses perspective is when the desire to make themselves rich or be number one the rewards far outweigh the risks associated with taking drugs and cheating.
"There is often a misconception that competition and sport drives athletes to cheat. But, we at Sport in Society argue that there is nothing inherent in sport or competition that teaches cheating. It is the loss of perspective, when greed and ego supersede integrity and a love for the game do athletes look for an unfair edge and cheat," said Roby.
About the Center for the Study of Sport in SocietyThe Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University is one of the world's leading social justice organizations that use sport to create social change both nationally and internationally. The flagship organization located in the heart of Boston, Mass. was founded in 1984 by Dr. Richard Lapchick and touts branches in Baltimore, Md. and Phoenix, Ariz. Through research, education, and advocacy the center promotes physical activity, health, violence prevention, and diversity among young people and college and professional athletes. Sport in Society's innovative programs are all staffed by former college or professional athletes and have been awarded America's most successful violence prevention program by Lou Harris, the Peter F. Ducker Award as the most innovative non-profit program in the social sector, and have been cited as the National Crime Prevention Council's 50 Best Strategies to Prevent Violent Domestic Crimes. For more information please visit http://www.sportinsociety.org.
RSS