@Begin
@Participants:	NS010
@Age:	28
@Sex:	M
@L1:	AmE
@FatherL1:	AmE
@MotherL1:	AmE
@AcademicBakground:	PhD
@OtherLanguage:	French=8;Japanese=3
@Topic:	sports
@Comments:	NoTitle
@Coder:	2006-10-19 DataInputBy MURAO Remi;
@Version:	2.0
*NS010:	Many people in the world share an ideal about the purity of amateur sport, and "playing for the love of the game".
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*NS010:	Love of this ideal is reflected in the popularity of events such as college football bowl games, or college basketball's "March Madness" in the U.S.A.  These events attract nationwide television coverage and corporate sponsorship, resulting in huge financial rewards for the schools involved.
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*NS010:	However, aside from athletic scholarships, the student-athletes responsible for generating this revenue do not receive any direct payment for their performance on the field of play.
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*NS010:	Moreover, student-athletes at many top division I programs are deprived of a full education because of athletic commitments.
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*NS010:	It is for these financial and educational reasons that I would argue that these student-athletes are being exploited.
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*NS010:	Colleges tend to take the standpoint that the reward of participation in events, instead of financial payment, is an irreplaceable life experience.
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*NS010:	In fact, these major sports events do provide what may be a life changing experience for many of the athletes ? a chance to showcase their abilities in front of a national audience.
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*NS010:	Moreover, the interpersonal bonds formed within a team and the fond memories of competing are difficult to put a price on.
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*NS010:	Many top college athletes attend on full athletic scholarships provided by the college itself.
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*NS010:	It can be argued that the athletes are rewarded for their performances by not having to pay tuition, and by the long-term benefit of earning a college degree.
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*NS010:	However, these costs borne by the schools are thought to be small relative to the incredible revenues generated by the games played.
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*NS010:	Historically, many top athletic schools have allowed their athletes to graduate, through special exceptions or rule-bending, without completing the rigorous coursework usually required by students.
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*NS010:	For example, student-athletes were allowed to enroll in less demanding classes, and in extreme cases, pressure was placed on professors to make special allowances for the absence or poor performance of top student-athletes.
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*NS010:	The result of this is that athletic commitments mean that many student-athletes are deprived of the proper education which is supposed to be the main goal of their time at college.
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*NS010:	A very small percentage of these student-athletes will be able to turn their skills into careers as professional athletes; however the great majority of these student-athletes will need to find jobs in the real world.
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*NS010:	Though a college degree carries weight on a resume, the lack of a full education places them at a disadvantage when competing with their more academically oriented peers.
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*NS010:	As one who treasures the ideal of "playing for the love of the game", I do not believe that student-athletes should be paid aside from athletic scholarships.
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*NS010:	However, I do believe that colleges should be held accountable for returning the revenue generated by student athletics into furthering the education of students.
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*NS010:	The governing board of college athletics (NCAA) has taken steps in recent years to protect the educations of top student athletes by placing limits on practice time, however colleges themselves need to take more responsibility in making sure that their students are properly educated.
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*NS010:	Although sport provides a wonderful opportunity for physical development and the development of interpersonal skills unfound in the classroom, all relevant parties must not lose sight of the fact that academic development is the primary goal of college education.
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@End