Concerns over rising violence among youth in sports

Dear Editor,

I WRITE to express my deep concern about the increasing incidents of violence among young people during sporting activities in our communities. Sports is usually credited with the promotion of unity, discipline, teamwork, and healthy competition. However, it is gradually becoming platforms for fighting, hostility, and destruction.

In recent times, it has become common to witness youth engaging in physical fights during football matches and other sporting events. What begins as friendly competition often ends in chaos, injuries, damaged property, and sometimes the involvement of weapons.

This worrying trend defeats the very purpose of sports and sends a wrong message to younger children who look up to these players as role models.

Several factors contribute to this problem, including poor discipline, lack of proper officiating, excessive pressure to win at all cost, and inadequate guidance from coaches and community leaders. In some cases, spectators also fuel the violence by provoking players and officials instead of encouraging fair play.

If this issue is not addressed urgently, it may discourage talented youth from participating in sports and could also turn sporting grounds into unsafe spaces for families and fans. Sports should build character, not destroy it.

I, therefore call on sports authorities, schools, community leaders, parents, and the National Sports Authority to intensify education on sportsmanship, enforce strict sanctions against violent behaviour, and provide proper training for referees and coaches.

The youth must be taught that losing a game is not a failure, but fighting is.

Let us work together to restore peace, respect, and discipline in youth sports for the benefit of our society.

Eugene Ampiaw, Takoradi

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