Tom Clark: Despite its many flaws sport remains a joyous passion worth savouring

Sport is a wonderful, joyous passion, something that so often gets lost in how seriously it is taken and the myriad issues present in the modern game.

The list of problems is lengthy, ranging from important to the trivial. A few to start with from football alone: the influx of billionaires, money from morally questionable sources distorting competition, and in some cases, effectively buying tournament hosting rights.

Even financial rules, which may have originated from a good place, ultimately pull the ladder up behind those at the top, maintaining the status quo while forcing clubs to sell academy products to comply. It's mind-boggling to consider that the best solution to stay within financial rules is to produce young talent to sell for enormous profits, the exact opposite of what should be encouraged.

Supporters have become viewed as consumers, leading to many being priced out of stadiums and those who can afford tickets face constant travel issues, with television companies dictating scheduling with zero regard for match-going fans.

The next men’s World Cup will have so many fixtures that there will be 72 group games to eliminate just 16 of the 48 countries. Is this done for sporting reasons or political/financial ones? I certainly believe the latter.

The list continues with more mundane but equally concerning issues. The constant debate over referee decisions and VAR, as well as the recent phenomenon of former players using their social media platforms to promote hate and misogyny.

Not to mention the celebration police having a pop at any team that dares win a match. If you can’t enjoy victory then what is the point of it all?

Beyond football, issues such as doping, systematic racism, bullying, and sexism plague various other sports. The concerns extend to player welfare, especially in contact sports such as rugby, where concussion and dementia pose serious threats with inadequate action taken to address them.

Despite all of this, sport is a glorious thing that does so much for so many, and the joy it brings can overcome all obstacles.

Earlier this week my father passed away and it was sport that I instinctively turned to as a coping mechanism.

In the build-up to the inevitable goodbye, sport was my refuge, my happy place, my chance to get away from everything else. I am fortunate to have friends, family, and colleagues who care for me and are there when needed, but there is only so much one can say in that situation.

It might seem odd to some, but going to a couple of football matches last week was the only time my mind was distracted from the situation. Some people have music, others art, film, cooking or therapy as their way to cope. Sport has and always will be mine. 

Sport brings people together; it provides comfort, camaraderie and an outlet for so many things in one's life.

This is not the first time I've used sport as a crutch. After the suicide of a close cricket friend, I took a break from the game. When I eventually found my way back, it was not just to a sport but to a community and a friendship group, and only then did the grieving and healing truly begin.

Sport has its issues; there is no denying that. But the positive sides far outweigh the negatives, and I will always be thankful to my Dad for instilling my love of it in all its guises.

The next time you find yourself infuriated with sport, whether insignificant or consequential, just remember the joy it brings you and be thankful you have this passion as it gives so much more than it takes.   

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