Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.
Coaches have a great deal of responsibility heaped onto their shoulders.
While they do not actively participate in the on-field action, they are nonetheless responsible for the outcome of the game. That responsibility comes partly in the way of developing strategy and evaluating in-game situations to determine the best approach for execution of the strategy.
More importantly, though, it requires the coach to prepare their athletes, both mentally and physically, for the rigors of the event they are about to undertake. Coaches are required to train and develop their team, constantly challenging them to be better today than they were yesterday, and as the level of competition increases, so does the level of expectation that must be met by the athletes.
Fabio Capello, manager for England’s National Soccer Team, has banned sexual activity for his athletes, and plans to enforce that ban through surveillance technology. His intention is to keep his team physically focused, and minimize the exposure of extra-curricular physical activity. Based on the arguments presented through debating whether or not Capello’s actions are acceptable, I am awarding this verdict to Babe Ruthless.
As pointed out by Babe Ruthless, policies prohibiting fraternization are not new to athletics. In fact, this anti-fraternization policy may not be as rare as you think. Is this really any different from training camp, where many (if not all) teams require that their athletes bunk together in dormitories, leaving their families behind for extended periods of time?
While the prohibition of sex with their significant others at training camp may not be explicitly stated, often times it is nonetheless implied and enforced as a byproduct of each athlete’s forced seclusion from their families.
Socializing of any kind is often perceived as a distraction, and the coach has the responsibility to limit distraction as much as possible.
To Loyal Homer’s point, Capello’s decision to enforce the ban through the use of surveillance comes off a bit creepy. Creepy, however, does not equal inappropriate.
As athletes climb the ranks of competition and reach higher levels of play, they must consequently make greater sacrifices, both in their commitment of time, and in the transparency of what they do.
When an athlete has committed to compete at a level that requires the absolute highest degrees of human athleticism, they are obligated to take every possible measure to ensure that they maintain their peak physical condition.
While Bob, the second-baseman for your work softball team may get by with no practice, a bad diet, and exercise that falls somewhere in the range of sparse and non-existent, that regimen simply would not cut it for the world class athlete.
Where Bob’s training may involve a Philly Cheesesteak, two beers, a Marlboro, and five jumping-jacks (accompanied by pained wheezing, panting, and profuse sweating), the world class athlete must spend HOURS in the gym every day. Once the gym time is complete, drills and practices are executed, and that is followed by film study. Adding to the physical demands is a specially customized diet that is designed to maximize the athlete’s health, strength, and stamina.
To ensure compliance with all those regulations, the athlete is supervised and tested while they exercise and study. They are measured and weighed, poked and prodded, all in an effort to validate the success or failure of that athlete’s commitment to training and development.
Likewise, drug use and steroids are prohibited, and enforcement of those policies can be far more invasive than simply using a camera to check in on what the team is doing.
Capello’s use of camera technology is just a hi-tech version of knocking on his players’ doors and peering in. He is not using the cameras in any covert manner, his players are aware that they are being monitored, and they have not been asked to comply with any illicit or illegal requests. Capello just wants to make sure that his team is in the best possible condition, as they will be representing their entire country in front of the whole world in sports single greatest competition.
The ban and its enforcement may seem extreme, but so is the level of expectation that these athletes must meet. If Capello, as coach and leader for the team, feels that enforcement of this ban will help make his team better, then he is well within his rights to implement it.
