The (delightful?) danger of deadly sports.

• Author: Ferguson, Dave
• Position: Athletic Arena - List

IN THE WORLD OF SPORT, being an athlete can be both dangerous and deadly. Mostly everyone--from spectators and fans to athletes and coaches--knows that there can be some element of risk involved in any game. Athletes can suffer various injuries during competition, from a minor scrape to a life-threatening moment. However, most athletes do not overly concern themselves with obvious risks and tend to dismiss any fear that potentially could get in the way of performance. Athletes are more attracted to the rewards, fame, glory, pride, and potential money that come with playing as a professional.

We can look back to the times of the gladiators, where games of sword fighting, jousting, and archery routinely were played as training exercises. Competition, games, and sport serve a greater purpose than for just physical or mental fitness. Sport can provide an emotional thrill, extreme physical action, and intense training on some of the most dangerous and challenging playing fields. Moreover, an element of nature can add to the variety of thrilling spectator sports enjoyed throughout the world: paragliding, parachute diving, and the X Gaines are just a few examples.

Still, it should be noted that there is an established difference in the definition of dangerous versus deadly. A dangerous sport has the potential risk of being deadly, but the incidents of actual death are not that great. A dangerous sport could be defined as participation in an activity that can cause physical and emotional damage, from mild to extreme, where there is a small risk of fatal injury. A deadly sport, on the other hand, will be one that has a higher risk of death each and every time an athlete chooses to participate. Interestingly, football once was considered to be a deadly sport--with good reason, but rule changes spearheaded by then Pres. Teddy Roosevelt early in the 20th century served to recategorize the gridiron as merely a dangerous (not deadly) place.

Consider the following list of deadly sports:

Heli Skiing. Not only deadly, it is quite expensive. Thrill seekers pay thousands of dollars for a single skiing experience. There is something to be said for seeing spectacular beauty while skiing on untouched terrain with virgin snow, but we continue to hear about accidents resulting in the loss of lives on desolate mountaintops.

Bull Riding. Injury risks with bull riding are huge, but that has not stopped the growing popularity of this challenging competition. When a...