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The world of sports is a multimillion
dollar industry. Around the globe, people flock to sporting events or watch
their favourite teams faithfully each week on television. As a result,
professional sports athletes receive huge salaries – well above, for example,
those of doctors, lawyers, teachers or social workers. There is some debate
about whether such outrageously high salaries are justified.
On the one hand, sport is viewed as a
professional career, in which the top players should rightly earn high
salaries. Athletes train rigorously from an early age to become peak performers
in their field. They face tremendous pressure in each and every game, match or
competition. Their personal lives are compromised and they lose all privacy. At
the same time, their strong achievements bring honour and attention, not only
to themselves, but also to their teams, schools, cities or countries.
On the other hand, various professions
contribute to making our world run smoothly. Doctors put in at least ten years
of grueling study and internship; their work saves lives. Teachers educate and
inspire young people to be responsible citizens: their efforts produce the
citizens of tomorrow. Social workers rescue individuals facing physical, mental
and psychological challenges: their intervention creates safer societies.
Yet, professionals in the fields above
usually struggle to get by, despite their meaningful and critical contribution
to the world.
In my view, paying enormous salaries to
sportspeople is unnecessary. We need to reconsider our social priorities and
eliminate the great disparity in income received by diverse professionals. By
doing so, we can build societies in which each one feels valued, appreciated
and appropriately compensated for their own vocation or specialization.
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