Bad Competition

Abstract

Abstract What if there are certain vices that support peak performance? Should we permit high-level athletes to be bad people, in certain respects, if it means they will get more out of themselves on race day? This chapter introduces the concept of performance-enhancing vices—defects of character that assist us to perform well as runners. These vices result from a misalignment between a good life and good running, and they are a difficult set of vices to root out because of their beneficial impact on performance. Having a good character may have a performance cost. This puts athletes and coaches in an odd position. In this chapter, we examine four candidates for performance-enhancing vices—selfishness, intransigence, pride, and envy. We investigate whether high-level athletes should be excused from virtue in these respects. We also explore how the media and fame culture surrounding sport contributes to the presence of vices in athletics.