SPORT A RELIGIA
SPORT VERSUS RELIGION

Summary/Abstract: The author of this article analyses ongoing debate on the question of comparability of two very important spheres of human life – sport and religion. The matter of relations between sport and religion undoubtedly belongs to extremely complex and difficult problems in unambiguous assessments and analyses. At first glance, these two realms might seem utterly incomparable to some people. However, on the other hand, this is just an illusion, which vanishes after taking a closer look at the matter. It needs to be emphasized that this relation has existed since ancient times, when Greek Olympic Games were an expression of a religious attitude of a man towards the deities worshipped at that time. Likewise in more recent times, in many communities religious ritual was and still is connected with sports contests. As far as the contemporary sport is concerned, the article deals with a peculiar and spontaneous “para-religion” and related ritual to it which is mostly found among the audience of contemporary sport, as well as in the media. Some of the researchers – presented in the article – hold an opinion that contemporary sport has in itself certain hallmarks of religion, and therefore it is some specific form of religion or simply religijon in the full sense of this word. According to these pravest interpretations a true supporter of sport considers a stadium like a church and participates in sporting events very seriously. This is like a service connected with active participation, filled with very strong emotions, pervaded with a sense of drama, and ending in a sense of fulfilment and some kind of change felt by the participants afterwards. The researchers who favour this theory go as far as to maintain that one cannot be a Christian or Muslim being at the same time a believer in sport and vice versa. However, it should be borne in mind that their claim is a matter of argument. On the other hand, although such conclusions might seem – at least to some extent – exaggerated, there are numerous elements which make sport an extraordinary phenomenon, not trivial entertainment, but something of great significance to many people all over the world. All in all, throughout the article the author analyses numerous similarities between sport and religion, pondering whether in sport – like it is in religion – exist the emotions which can be regarded as transcendent.

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