ABSTRACT
It has been suggested that: ``a sporting contest is de®ned by the
pursuit of a victor. Other bene®ts of a more altruistic and social
nature may accrue from sport, but in essence the challenge is set
down: to ®nd a winner'' (G. Davies, 2007, p. 19). Indeed, our
enduring fascination with sport may very well be attributed to
``its sole objective criterion ± winning'' (Moore, 2009, p. S17).
Nowhere is this struggle for supremacy more intense than at the
very highest competitive levels, where sport is no longer a pastime,
run and organized by amateurs. It has developed into a well-
established global industry, operating in an increasingly compe-
titive world (Stead, 2003). Sport is a multi-billion pound business
that competes for scarce resources and uses, amongst other things,
commercial and professional management techniques (Robinson,
1999, 2003). These developments have moved sport organizations
toward a more professional and bureaucratic structure (Byers,
2004; Old, 2004; Slack & Hinnings, 1992). In this push toward
ef®ciency, effectiveness, and value for money, it has become of
even greater interest to players, coaches, administrators, specta-
tors, and owners to identify qualities associated with superior sport
performance as a ®rst stage in facilitating their development. When
it comes down to it, there are two qualities that are necessary for
victory in any sport: ability and mental toughness.
