This letter to the editor was submitted by John Hewitt, and published here below.
The elements of a perfect storm:
The importance of sport to Australians
Winning at all costs attitude
The desire of sports administrators to play more and more games resulting in questionable (unfair?) contests e.g. Wallabies in South Africa one week then playing a rested All Blacks the following week
The pressure of too many contests (over scheduling) on young bodies resulting in breakdowns and other injuries e.g. the Australian fast bowlers
The knowledge that a sporting career (and the chance for rewards) is short – generally for the under 30s
The declining moral fibre of the country evidenced by the behavior of politicians, banks, big business etc..
The admiration for people who buck the system or “get away with it”
Greed – the desire for money however obtained
Australian’s love of gambling – the real national sport
Betting being permitted on all kinds of sporting outcomes.
Possible answers:
Get rid of gambling on sport except for racing
Reduce the number of games to improve the fairness of contests and reduce the strain on players
Don’t reward bad behavior – take back premierships, awards medals etc..
Take a hard line on sports administrators – winning is important but not at all costs
Change the culture of clubs so that sport and fair play are treated as more important than dollars and cents
Take a harder line on bad behavior in society to try and improve the moral fibre
