The Ontario University Athletics team was left out of the list of elite amateur sports, and many of its players and coaches are upset. Although the decision has nothing to do with the talent of the OUA team, it is disappointing that it wasn’t considered. The NCAA’s decision to shut down the league doesn’t bode well for the future of the sport.
The elite amateur status of sport has long been a source of conflict. While middle-class men favored amateurism, the upper classes had a vested interest in preventing its professionalization, which threatened to make the working class competitive with one another. The conflict between those who wanted amateurism and those who feared professionalism played out over more than a century.
In the 19th century, a group of socially prominent sportsmen established the New York Athletic Club, the first major athletic club in the United States. The club focused on track and field competition. In 1866, the London Athletic Club held the first English amateur track and field championships. This was followed by other athletic clubs across the country.
There are many physical factors that determine success in sports. Many of these factors are difficult to measure and quantify. However, there are a few metrics that can distinguish elite athletes from the rest of the field. For instance, VO2max and running economy are correlated with elite endurance performance. In addition, anthropometry and a wide range of training characteristics are predictive of elite athletic performance.
Return-to-play plans for elite amateur sports must meet minimum standards set by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. These plans should include protocols for foreign participants. They must also comply with the federal quarantine act. Furthermore, players may have to undergo a mandatory quarantine period prior to returning to play.
The AAU’s amateurism rules were strict throughout the 20th century. In 1912, Jim Thorpe was stripped of his track and field medals after he was caught taking expense money. After that, the rules gradually relaxed and eventually became purely lip service. The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 prohibits national governing bodies from requiring more stringent amateur status than required by international governing bodies. This led to the breakup of the Amateur Athletic Union.
The NCAA Shuts Down Elite Amateur Sports
