Drawing on the theories of David Velleman, Charles Taylor, and Alasdair MacIntyer on narrative identity, the purpose of this study is to identify the fundamental causes of public moral condemnation of elite athletes for cheating as public figures. To ...
Drawing on the theories of David Velleman, Charles Taylor, and Alasdair MacIntyer on narrative identity, the purpose of this study is to identify the fundamental causes of public moral condemnation of elite athletes for cheating as public figures. To do so, it examines the unique role and character of narratives that have emerged from the recent rise of agent-centered ethics, arguing that achievement in sport is not just about the individual athlete, but is deeply tied to who they are as the person. It argues that the public moral condemnation of cheating athletes is not because they broke the rules of the sport, but because they lied about who they were. The fact that achievements in sport are inextricably tied to the person who accomplished them provides a compelling explanation for why the public is so interested in the lives of elite athletes that have nothing to do with their performance. This also creates a responsibility on the part of the athlete to strive to live with dignity in all aspects, and a reciprocal obligation on the part of the fan to recognize and respect the athlete as a person.