Sports refers to any physical activity engaged in for the purpose of exercise, entertainment or excitement. The Olympic Games is the greatest single event in sports where international competitors from all corners of the world compete with each other. Sport is normally defined as structured physical activities undertaken with the view to achieving some goal or for competitive advantage. Sports are generally governed by strict rules to make sure fair play and consistent adjudication of the winning player.
There are numerous different kinds of sports, the most common being the contact sports which involves contact with a ball or part of a body. The other kinds of sports include gymnastics, sailing, fencing, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, golf, tennis, and racquetball to mention a few. A sport that involves throwing the ball is known as basketball while a game of soccer involves kicking the ball with a foot or the legs. Motor racing is a completely different game from motor racing but both involve a motor vehicle and also both involve some degree of skill and dexterity.
Martial Arts includes several sports and disciplines that involve kicking, punching and striking using a particular martial art. Karate, a martial art originated in Japan and involves kicking, punching and knee and elbow strikes with an opponent. Muay Thai is a martial art that originated in Thailand and employs elbows, knees and strikes with the feet. It is a close combat sport involving two people where the outcome is often decided by the results of a last minute scramble. Taekwondo is a martial art that focuses on speed and strength and its fighting emphasis is on foot and hand combat.
All of these games and activities can be individually or combined to create new sports. Modern day sports are extremely popular, with participation by millions of people worldwide. With the spread of the modern sports to different countries and different types of cultures has led to the expansion of specific disciplines or types of sports. In America for example, baseball and football have been the main source of local revenue since it is much easier to sell tickets and become a professional sport compared to playing basketball or volleyball in a developing country. Professional athletes have become celebrities overnight and have created millions of dollars in revenue.
Some other examples of physical activities include water skiing, triathlons, beach volleyball, surfing, kite boarding, mountain biking, ice skating and horse riding. Each of these examples of sports are very different from one another and have different reasons for being popular. Sports and physical activities do have a direct impact on society as a whole. In America for example, there are billions of dollars spent every year on major league sports and the major leagues bring in huge amounts of television audiences and advertising dollars. The Olympic Games is used as a marketing tool and there is even more behind the scenes than meets the eye.
Gymnastics is a specific example of a sport where physical dexterity is needed and perfected through a strict physical training regime. This is also a popular sport in countries such as China, India and Russia. The Olympic Games can be a huge business and bring in billions of dollars in revenue. However, it is not just the Olympic Games that brings in great economic revenue. Almost all the professional sports around the world brings in similar revenue streams. They may have different types of sports that can be separated out and discussed but overall they are all considered to be one type of sport.
