THERE are a lot of good reasons why minority sports - such as judo, featured in yesterday's paper - gets some column inches in the Wairarapa Times-Age.
The paper does show tremendous loyalty to the "heartland" sports typical of a rural locality, and rugby clearly dominates, followed by football, hockey and cricket. And all sports set good examples in demonstrating what training, perseverance and skill can do. But many sports set bad examples, in the degree of bad sportsmanship exhibited among players and supporters.
All sports have their avenues for foul play and disgruntled attitudes, but judo has an underlying culture of respect and discipline, while possessing very few equals for hard contact and physical exertion in competition.
It means you will not see backchat to referees, and you will not see "sledging" - at least, not openly. That culture doesn't exist in judo. Realistically, it doesn't need to. Once you've hurled some guy over your shoulder and on to the mat, you really don't need to add words to the mix. But other sports don't allow you let off steam like that. This weekend, two cricket clubs will meet again after triggering a debacle of abuse and poor sportsmanship, which resulted in the collapse of the Bidwill Cup final last year.
Both clubs may cite particular persons as instigators, but to me it is clear the abuse happened because the culture of a non-contact sport allowed it to happen. "Sledging" has become acceptable in cricket. It is little more than a constant narrative of personal attacks from guys with a lot of energy who have to stand around a lot.
