ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that alcohol continues to play a central role in modern sport, even at the elite professional level. Despite its deleterious effects on performance, health and reputation, its consumption remains a core part of the sporting ethos. The chapter explains that there is a pro-alcohol or perhaps pro-getting drunk' ethos in many sports. This ethos normalizes heavy drinking, particularly in relation to team bonding and celebrating. If people want to reform the risky drinking habits of individuals they have to reform the ethos of the practice community which encourages and celebrates such habits. McLaughlin's account of ethos is rich and complex and there is an obvious prima facie resonance for a culture's drinking habits. Alcohol ethos identifies or picks out the tone of a particular practice community with respect to alcohol. An important aspect of the experienced ethos is that it is generative of individual and collective behavior, a fact particularly pertinent in terms of drinking practices.
