In this blog post, we take an in-depth look at the equality, humanity, and intrinsic value of sports that we lose as advanced science and technology become more involved in sports.
In 2008 and 2009, something unusual happened in the world of swimming. A total of 143 world records were set in swimming alone over a two-year period: 108 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 35 at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. What is surprising is that all of these records were set by athletes wearing polyurethane full-body swimsuits developed jointly by Speedo and NASA. Polyurethane full-body swimsuits contribute to breaking records by providing excellent buoyancy, reducing surface resistance, and reducing muscle fatigue. In response, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) classified full-body swimsuits as “technology doping” (the use of science and technology to unfairly enhance an athlete’s performance) in 2010 and announced a ban on their use.
Following the above case, there has been controversy in the soccer world over the introduction of advanced science and technology into sports. Science and technology are increasingly replacing referees in sports, and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has proven its effectiveness by introducing goal-line technology at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil to prevent wrong calls. Goal-line technology uses high-speed cameras to track the position of the ball in real time and immediately notify the referee when the ball crosses the goal line. This has sparked controversy among soccer fans, who argue that real-time video review is needed to identify fouls and violations in complex situations. However, soccer federations have repeatedly emphasized that the introduction of additional review technology is not an option. So why, despite the advantages of technology, is it not being introduced into all sports?
The first reason for limiting the introduction of science and technology is the equality of sports. Sports should be equal for everyone, regardless of gender, age, or social class. Of course, this word “equality” is not absolute. There is a clear gap between the sports played by major athletes and those played by people in the neighborhood. However, this gap should be small enough so that people who admire major competitions and aim to participate in them do not feel deprived. If the gap is too large, people will become exhausted in their pursuit of their dreams and turn their backs on them, feeling empty and deprived. In other words, equality in sports means that there is an appropriate gap between major and minor sports.
The introduction of advanced science and technology into sports will widen the gap between major and minor sports, undermining the equality of sports. This is because most minor sports cannot afford polyurethane full-body swimsuits that take hours to put on or extremely expensive goal-line technology. Therefore, if such advanced science and technology is applied to major sports and becomes a rule, major athletes and minor athletes will have no choice but to play “different” sports. The question is whether minor athletes will accept this “difference” and play their own sports. I don’t think so. Minority athletes are likely to be frustrated by the huge gap between themselves and the major sports they aspire to emulate, and they will leave in search of a new object of admiration. It’s like people who chase after illusory dreams and then return to reality.
The second reason for limiting the introduction of science and technology into sports is the human aspect of sports. Sports competitions are a place to test the limits of human ability. There is debate as to how much of “human” includes science and technology developed by humans. People who are opposed to the introduction of advanced science and technology into sports believe that individual ability should take precedence over science and technology. They argue that if the introduction of science and technology is not restricted, sports competitions may become a place to test the advancement of science and technology rather than the limits of human ability.
Science is advancing at a rapid pace. In 2008 and 2009, world records were broken left and right due to polyurethane swimsuits classified as “technological doping.” However, spectators watching the competitions could not shake a feeling of uneasiness. Why was that? Perhaps it was because the rapid advancement of science and technology made it difficult to tell whether we were watching human athletes or science and technology. The spectators may have felt that science and technology, which transcends human capabilities, was undermining humanity in a sacred place where human capabilities are tested. I think this is why the new term “technology doping” was coined. Ultimately, what people want in sports is to achieve something through human ability alone, with minimal interference from science and technology. In fact, we may be subconsciously afraid of science and technology that encroaches on the realm of humans.
The reason why the soccer association decided not to introduce additional review systems is probably because of this fear of violating humanity. It is true that advanced science and technology have brought many advances to our society, and it is also true that we have benefited greatly from technology. However, all humans have a natural desire to maintain their humanity. When science and technology encroach on the human realm, we instinctively reject it. This can be seen not only in the introduction of advanced science and technology in sports, but also in various scientific research. A representative example is embryonic stem cell research. The biggest reason people oppose embryonic stem cells is ethical issues. This violation of ethics can also be said to be a violation of human ethics. In other words, it means violating humanity. Ultimately, the introduction of advanced science and technology into sports and embryonic stem cell research are both considered to be encroaching on the realm of humanity, which is why they are met with resistance. Sports are human. In a society where advanced science has become commonplace, sports may be the only way to preserve a minimum level of humanity. In a world that already relies heavily on science and technology, shouldn’t sports at least be enjoyed in the traditional way, limited to “humans” only?
As of 2024, humanity has achieved remarkable scientific progress. Science and technology have permeated every aspect of our lives and coexist with humans, but there is a clear boundary between humans and science and technology. This is best reflected in sports. Sports are equal and human. Isn’t the reason we don’t introduce all science and technology into sports because we want to preserve the true nature of sports, its equality and humanity?
