ABSTRACT It is argued that sport, like science or medicine, is a valued human practice and is characterised as much by the moral manner in which its participants conduct themselves as by the pursuit of its own skills, standards and excellences. Virtues, such as justice, honesty and courage, are not only necessary to pursue its goals but to protect it from being corrupted by external interests. After explicating the practice view of sport in contrast to the sociological view, the nature (...) of competition in sport is discussed before examining two related issues: winning at all costs and the taking of performance-enhancing drugs. The importance of practices to education and the good life is also outlined. (shrink)

There is currently a trend to see the rewriting of sports rulebooks as almost the only way to remedy perceived imperfections in the youth sport system. The trend can be seen in many sports programmes and has generated heated debate. The article adds to the debate by analysing a proposal to review the Catalan Basketball Federation’s regulations for biddy basketball, and it puts forward a pedagogical proposal comprising two objectives: to identify the aspects that define the idea of participating in (...) this particular area of the youth sport system, and to understand the role of technique in the biddy basketball rule book. At a philosophical level, the article also identifies the main factors that ensure players improve their game technically. Finally, going beyond biddy basketball as such, the article suggests how to improve youth sport at an organizational level and in technical and pedagogical terms. (shrink)