Laura Colgan Athletes making too much of a racket
SOME PROS BAD WINNERS
Jessica told how Ger got down on one knee in The Gibson Hotel in Dublin – where they first met while filming First Dates.
She said: “I asked Ger if he wanted a lodger and then we discovered when we were having wine that we were crazy about each other.”
PROFESSIONAL athletes should have the utmost respect for referees.
But recent interactions between pro tennis players and umpires at the Australian Open leave a lot to be desired.
Andy Murray swore at an umpire over the tournament’s bathroom break rules.
He claimed it was “disrespectful to the players” that they’re limited to one bathroom break per game.
What was really disrespectful was that he spoke to an umpire in that manner.
And Novak Djokovic lost his cool with an umpire and told him what to do about rowdy fans in the crowd. smashed his racket after his defeat. Kokkinakis accused her of favouring his opponent, being wrong about the rules of the sport and gave out about a code violation handed down over racket abuse.
Maybe these athletes don’t realise just how rude they’re being.
They could be making excuses for poor performances.
Or maybe, and most likely, they’ve totally lost the run of themselves.
Qualities
The qualities of good sportsmanship is having a good attitude, respecting the decisions of the referees and handling defeat well.
There’s not a hope of us having silent sidelines or Get Respect, Give Respect initiatives at kids’ games or amateur level when pro athletes are losing their cool on pitches and courts.
No wonder volunteer referees are quitting in their droves, citing abuse, assaults and unrelenting stresses. Athletes are supposed to be admirable and honourable role models. These lot are sorry excuses.