Some people believe that dangerous sports should be banned by the government. Others claims that choosing sports should be a matter of freedom. Discuss both views and give your opinion

IELTS Writing Sample 4 – Dangerous sports should be banned?

The issue of how much freedom of choice each person should be granted in a society governed by laws is still controversial in many countries. There have been people who raised the argument that certain extreme sports should be forbidden because of the dangers they pose to participants. On the other side of the debate, there is a belief that this is a matter of personal choice and, therefore, should not be put under restrictions. In this essay, I will examine both opinions and state my own preference.

Firstly, it makes sense that the government should be involved to some extent in the regulation of risky sports. If young people, who are prone to risk-taking and lack caution, are given free range to participate in dangerous activities, there will likely be high death tolls and injury rates. Since in many cases, the voice of family and schools cannot reach hot-headed youngsters, it must fall into the hands of the authority to keep our young citizens from harming themselves. If a sport is proven to be too dangerous to the players or the people involved, outlawing the activity might be the necessary measure to protect the young members of our society.

Yet it is also sensible to argue against such an extreme solution. The right to play sports is part of a person’s human rights, and, therefore, any policies that aim to put a restriction over it may violate our freedom of choice. Another reason for this side of the argument is that in some cases, it might prove difficult to determine exactly if it is a dangerous sport or not. For a professional athlete who is well-trained and well-equipped, enjoying many sports without injury is not difficult. On the other hand, without proper training or the right equipment, even simple sports such as football or swimming can wound us or even be life-threatening.

In conclusion, it may be necessary to let the government share the responsibility of regulating certain dangerous sports. However, I believe that the decision to ban any sport should be made with great consideration, and only after the sport is proven by experts to be too extreme even for the well-prepared players. Otherwise, our focus should be on other protective methods such as ensuring that all players of all sports are aware of any risks involved and have access to good equipment.

From: Nguyen Tien Dat