Reverse Discrimination In Sports

There are several ethical dilemmas presented in this case. The first is that of racial discrimination, or more specifically, reverse discrimination. Reverse discrimination is the unfair treatment of a dominant or majority group which results from policies established to correct discrimination of a minority group. If a person is not allowed to have the same privileges or rights as another because of his race, it is considered inequitable. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the basis for all discrimination issues as it outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion and national origin. In this case, two contenders for the last basketball position on the team are Steve and Greg. Both athletes have similar athletic ability however their

If we consider sport as a meritocracy, the Teleological theory would apply because comparing players’ skills against another is a fair assessment of talent. However, in this particular case, Coach Thomas did just the opposite which is contrary to the Teleological Theory in that he was unfair and unjust in dismissing Steve’s hard work, and used race to determine that Greg would get the position. Teleological reasoning supports the idea that players should have a fair opportunity to earn a position based on skill not race. Additionally, teleologists believe that a morally good person would not choose to act unjustly, however, in this situation, Coach Thomas did just that. He went against his own beliefs and criteria for selecting players. Racism or reverse discrimination is not supported by the Teleological Theory because the values such as fairness and honesty would not allow for unequal

In this theory, actions are judged on how they affect everyone who is involved. In applying this theory, racist actions produce negative results not only for Steve, the player who was discriminated against, but also for Coach Thomas. In an attempt to avoid being called a racist by keeping Steve instead of Greg, Coach Thomas actually discriminated against Steve. Additionally, Coach Thomas’s decisions had a negative effect on Steve, the rest of the team and the university. The aftermath of his decision had a negative ripple effect which in the end resulted in him being called before Dean Simmons, which he was trying to avoid. The Greatest Happiness Principle, a theory in Utilitarianism, a Consequentialist Theory, would apply if Coach Thomas’s actions provided a positive outcome for the team. If the team had accepted Coach Thomas’s decision to keep Greg rather than Steve, the outcome of the season might have been different. However, the events that followed his decision caused unrest, dissatisfaction and