Cheating sports stars undermine schools

22 September 2004

Footballers who ‘dive' in the penalty area or argue with the referee, rugby players who stamp on opponents and cricketers who refuse to walk when dismissed, all make it harder for schools and teachers to encourage honesty and enthusiasm in children, a leading prep school head said today.

David Kidd, chairman of the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS), told members at the opening of their annual conference in Torquay: "Every time a player dives in the penalty area, or is seen in close-up on TV mouthing obscenities; every time a player clearly pulls a shirt or feigns injury to get an opponent sent off, so our job becomes that much harder."

Mr Kidd, headmaster of Culford Preparatory School, in Suffolk, said that prep schools should send pupils out, "armed with brave old values, to educate and develop, to relieve pain, suffering and injustice, instilled with vision and compassion."

But, he asked: "How many of you feel, like me, totally undermined in our efforts to instil sporting values and instinctive fair play into our youngsters, when the role models behave so badly? The television images of footballers dissenting and harassing referees do nothing to help us, when we are attempting to teach our pupils to win with grace and to lose with dignity."

Football was not alone, said Mr Kidd. "Some first-class cricketers cheat. The batsman who knows he has edged the ball into the wicketkeeper's gloves but stays at the crease is cheating. If he is given not out, every run he scores after that is dishonest. Batsmen should walk if they know they are out. That's what we encourage our pupils to do, but it does get difficult if they can see the players at the top of the game doing the opposite.

"Systematic thuggery, which is seen regularly in top class rugby, also causes difficulty for school games teachers. Deliberate stamping at rucks, late tackles designed to injure key opponents and take them out of the game, all go to create an impression that thuggery and violence are acceptable. They are not!"

Mr Kidd, himself a lifelong football supporter, added: "Where sport is concerned I believe passionately in the traditional values of fair play, total commitment within the laws of the game, and an unquestioning acceptance of the referee's decision. Would that those who play in, and manage the higher echelons felt the same."

Mr Kidd concluded with a call to schools: "The example that adults give children has a profound effect on them. Stop and consider what message you are giving your pupils if you are seen to be behaving unfairly, rudely, careless of the feelings of others, and unwilling to tolerate another's point of view.

"Children can spot injustice very quickly. If we want our schools to be full of good caring citizens who are pursuing all aspects of school life with vigour, honesty and enthusiasm, that's what we must do ourselves."