The Athlete — the Country's Representative As a Hero

Abstract

In works analyzing the nature of public interest in competitors we find quite a substantial terminological variety combined with extensive and free interpre tation. Nevertheless, despite discrepancies one tendency seems to be dominant here: frequently athletes are considered to be entertainers. But more promising from the cognitive point of view seems an attempt to look at the athlete, belonging to the representative team of the country, as a hero, from a more narrow, more tradi tional point of view. Such an attempt is fully justified since, as it results from analysis, values contained in international sports competitors, are par excellence social values, connected with collective prestige and dignity.

This narrowed down category fits in with the definition of a hero as suggested by Czarnowski.

Special attention deserves an analysis of the factors which exert a special in fluence on the creation of heroes. Values of personal traits, handsomeness. fair play in competition, dramatic circumstances (contusion, defective equipment), and also the type of sports discipline (popularity) give birth to the myth of the hero- victor.

Other factors exerting a decisive influence on the growth of public interest in athletes, who are representatives of the country, is the specific configuration of the matches (a decisive fact), and also competition with a potentially stronger adversary (Wembley), which makes one recall the eternally vivid myth about David and Goliath.