Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on some issues that arise in relation to alcohol in the context of sport. It problematizes both sport's role in promoting alcohol through sponsorship and advertising and the drinking ethos which characterizes many aspects of sporting culture. The book looks at whether people are entitled to criticise athletes as bad' role models when it comes to alcohol consumption and related behavior. It examines some important questions surrounding punishment, moral responsibility and addiction in relation to athletes who seem to have particular difficulties with alcohol. The book explores the line of criticism most often put forward when famous athletes get into trouble through drinking. It discusses the moral issues associated with punishing someone who is drunk because their autonomy and rational decision-making capacity is severely diminished by alcohol.