Sport, media, and society: Media representation of ethical issues – between idealization and noramlization of deviations

Joković Pantelić, Milica S. and Penezić, Slobodan (2025) Sport, media, and society: Media representation of ethical issues – between idealization and noramlization of deviations. In: SPORTICOPEDIA - Sports Media and Business 2025 Sport in the Focus of the 21st Century: Educational, Social, and Media Aspects. Faculty of Sport, Belgrade, pp. 223-248. ISBN 978-86-6385-075-0

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Abstract

Sport occupies a prominent position in contemporary society, transcending its primary framework and emerging as a significant cultural and communicative phenomenon. Although it is often promoted as a realm of fair play, character building, and universal values, numerous negative phenomena – such as corruption, doping, matchfixing, pervasive commercialization, and various forms of discrimination – reveal the complexity of its ethical dimension. This article explores how the media represent ethical issues in sport, analyzing whether media narratives contribute to raising public awareness and fostering critical reflection on these deviations, or, conversely, to their normalization and spectacularization. In doing so, the study also draws attention to the broader spectrum of issues that currently shape the field of contemporary sport. Using qualitative content analysis of Serbian daily newspapers, the research focuses on several paradigmatic cases in order to identify dominant discursive patterns through which ethical dilemmas are presented to the public. Particular attention is given to narratives related to fair play, on-field violence, athletes’ conduct beyond sports events, and the accountability of sports institutions. The aim of this paper is to highlight key challenges in contemporary sport and the various contradictions inherent in the media representation of its ethical aspects, as well as the broader implications these narratives may have for the relationship between sport, media, and societal values.

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