Redefining competitiveness from the fair play and social justice

Abstract

This paper analyzes from a humanistic perspective the prevailing messages about competitiveness in the economic and sport fields. The purpose of the study is to identify and put in value those discourses on competitiveness that can promote more just social relations. Starting from a characterization of competitiveness from neoliberalism, which generates inequality, an alternative is offered in order to get a fairer competition. For this, a competition perspective from the sport field based on fair play and attending the principles of equality, participation and collaboration is provided. In addition, some contributions of John Rawls and Richard Sennett are introduced. From the first one, the principle of difference, through which it is intended that the competition does not generate great inequalities and, if they are generated, the competition system has mechanisms to palliate them. From the second one, his concern about the balance between competition and collaboration, recovering the concept of sociality. All these contributions, altogether, represent a fairer orientation of the competition and can serve to highlight the potential of sport that can be used (and claimed) in the processes of ethical and political transformation of society.