Yes, I believe athletes should be punished for violent and deviant acts. Athletes should be subjected to the same expectations and consequences as people in other professions. However, punishment can be difficult to defined as either league or public codes. Some norms such as aggressiveness and violent behaviors that are synonymous with secondary deviant behaviors are encouraged by coaches, fans and franchise owners. Some of these behaviors fuel a lifestyle of deviance (Deviance by The Three Minute Sociologist) and are sanctioned severely by society at-large. Such incongruence often positions sports punishment at odds with local jurisdictions. As for other citizens, I think the extent of the act should be taken into consideration for punishing …show more content…
Very often the athlete is put on trial by the public before all facts have been uncovered. However, as expected the athlete’s deviant behavior elicits a response from fans (Norms & Deviance, PP) Consequently, the leagues usually exact punishment to the extent of public uproar rather the extent of the misconduct. As results some athletes may be punished unfairly or given leniency based on public opinions. Ray Rice was offered the same option as an average person by getting a plea bargain, but was also given an opportunity to go through a pretrial program that is typically not available to the average citizen (Ray Rice’s Assault Charges Dropped, 2015). In this case, the high-profile athlete was given more leniency. Sanctions against Colin Kaepernick for refusing to stand are example of the sports league going over and above the law (Case Study Three: Refusal to stand for National Anthem before athletic event). Refusal to stand for the National Anthem is a right of the average citizen. He symbolically was just fighting for what he believes. In summary, norms in professional sports are often at odds with local customs. It is up to local jurisdictions to protect all citizens whether they are athletes or not. As far as punishment for misconduct local laws should be the law of the land to ensure the safety of its