Can technology make sports more equal, or does it only widen the gap between competitors?
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Technology is changing sports in so many exciting new ways, making it fairer and saving lives but there are some downsides. This creates the question: is technology changing sport for the better or for the worse?
We have seen technology making sports fairer in football. VAR (video assistant referee) is now being used in football tournaments such as the Premier League and the FIFA World Cup. VAR has improved the accuracy in football from 82% to 96%. It is used to check goals, serve penalties and give red/yellow cards to the correct people (Newsround, BBC)
In 2006, tennis introduced the Hawk-eye. It improves the accuracy and fixes human errors as well as getting a second opinion from it. According to The Independent, 2025, players are happy with this decision. Although most are happy with this, Rodger Federer said that it is not accurate enough (BBC News 2013)
Not only can technology make sports more fair, it can also make it safer. In F1 racing they have implemented a mandatory 7kg structure called a halo to protect the driver’s head. It caused a lot of controversy when first launched but since then has proven why it was made mandatory. Before being implemented a lot of drivers died from head injuries during races. Now it has saved countless lives. Zhou Guanyu’s car flipped several times but he ended up walking away with minor injuries thanks to the halo (BBC News)
Although technology is making sport fairer and safer it can also be used in negative ways. For example last year at the world championships two ski jumpers and three team officials were charged with tampering with their ski suits. This shows that technology can also be used in negative ways as well as positive ways.
Technology can change sports to make it fairer but not all teams can afford these fancy tech items. For example lots of players use fitness watches and apps to help improve their performance.
As well as technology, in running there have been several shoes banned for giving athletes an advantage. For example, any shoe with over a 40mm sole has been banned by world athletics. (BBC 2020)
In conclusion, technology can change sports for the worse and better depending on how it is used. I think that technology can make sport fairer so long as there are rules in place and everyone has the same budget.
Comments (1)
I really enjoyed reading your viewpoint. You explained clearly how technology can make sports both fairer and safer. ⚽🎾
I especially liked the examples you used, such as VAR in football and Hawk-Eye in tennis. These technologies help referees and officials make more accurate decisions and reduce human mistakes. Because of this, many players and fans feel that the results are more fair. 👍
The example of the halo in Formula 1 was also very powerful. 🏎️ It shows that technology is not only about performance but also about protecting athletes’ lives. The fact that it helped drivers survive dangerous crashes proves how important safety technology can be.
However, I also agree with your point that technology can sometimes be used unfairly. The case of the ski jumpers changing their suits is a good example. This shows that without strict rules, some people may try to use technology to gain an unfair advantage.
Your final point about cost is also very important. Not every team or athlete can afford expensive technology, which could create inequality in sports. Because of this, I think sports organizations must create clear rules so that technology helps everyone, not just the richest teams.
Overall, your argument is balanced and thoughtful. Technology can improve sports, but only if it is used responsibly and fairly. 🌍🏅