Will to win: the darker side of elite sport

Access to sport and physical activity is a fundamental human right. According to The United Nations Sport for Development and Peace (2011), sport is a culturally accepted activity that brings people together and unites families, communities and nations. It is no surprise that sport has been found to contribute to a variety of positive outcomes such as improved health, a sense of achievement, teamwork, social inclusion, improved self-esteem, social capital and fair play (Cronin and Armour, 2015; Eime et al., 2013; Kavanagh, 2014). From a socioeconomic perspective, sport participation has been shown to benefit the economy by reducing ill health associated costs (Bloom, Grant & Watt, 2005; Cameron, Craig, & Beaulieu, 2000; Katzmarysk, Gledhill, & Shephard, 2000).