Nowadays, young people admire sports stars though they often do not set a good example. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

In recent years, idolisation has become a culture in the youth community, especially towards the sporting field. Despite the bad influences of some

sports

stars, support and total commitment are instilled in young people’s mindsets since they might not acknowledge their idols’ wrongdoings. In

this

essay, I will examine closely some of the aspects of

this

issue before concluding that I think it is more negative than positive. On the one hand, having an idol figure can offer numerous benefits to the star and even the fans themselves. Support comes in different forms

such

as donating an amount of money based on their financial situations, gifting presents, buying merchandise or simply watching every competition with their appearance. Not only does

this

help the celebrities to gain small revenues other than their income but

also

raises their recognition in the area.

Moreover

,

this

back-to-back relationship can significantly boost young supporters’ mental health to keep on grinding and working hard like their idols;

therefore

fostering a love for the specific sport and aspiration to participate in one.

However

, over-admiration is likely to turn into obsession if not controlled. Young people can easily be manipulated since they are still in their developing phase, looking for reliance and an exemplary image to follow.

This

can lead to serious worshipping and glorifying wrongdoings of idols in spite of how inclement they are;

consequently

affecting the youngsters' mindset and behaviour.

For instance

, a survey conducted by Kay Ireland showed 47% of youngsters say it is common for professional athletes to yell at a referee and 62% state that trash-talking opponents is the norm. Another example of

this

is seen in team

sports

such

as soccer or basketball, where retaliation often occurs when a teammate is intentionally hurt or rules violated, these situations spark heated arguments and even fights break out. It is obvious that blind love for

sports

celebrities can pose particular risks which include normalising bad attitudes and imitating them, advocating for rivalry between different fan bases

therefore

leading to cyber-bullying. In conclusion,

although

role models in the sporting area can gain more revenue from various supporting forms and encourage young people to practise in the field, they might not be the best figures to follow since some of them demonstrate poor sportsmanship

while

competing and

this

affects younger generations directly. From my standpoint, I think the negative aspects of idolising

sports

stars arguably outweigh the positive sides in terms of influence and manners despite how stellar their performances are.