Sadhguru and Manchester City Legend Rodney Marsh discuss cheating in sports:
Rodney Marsh: I believe that cheating is ok. I believe in cheating in sport is ok. I believe if you're not cheating, you're not winning. What am I doing wrong, what's wrong with that?
Sadhguru: I wouldn't think about it in terms of cheating and not cheating. what we need to understand is a game is a game only because of a certain set of rules. A certain set of rules means this is football, another set of rules means this is throw-ball, another set of rules means this is cricket, so it is a set of rules which makes the game. If you want to go onto the football field and carry the ball in your hand and runaway you could play rugby, you shouldn't be playing football.
So the moment you break the rule you're breaking the very fundamental of the game, so it's not about winning or losing you're just destroying the game, completely you'll destroy the game. If he can touch it once and its ok, I will touch it all the time, I will carry the ball and put it in the goal (laughter from the audience). Next thing, instead of one I'll carry and extra ball (more laughter from the audience) and I'll put it in the goal (laughter carries on in the audience), then why should we play a game (the audience laughs out loud) because game is happening, a game is created only with a certain set of rules.
When you say I want to break the rule what you're saying is I want to destroy the game, such people should have no place in the game at all (a round of applause from the audience). They have no love for the game, they just want to somehow win that’s all.
Sports and games were played for enjoyment for spectators and sportsman/sportwoman are at their fullest participation.
As world is evolved and now in sports, everyone wants to get instant fame and wanted to WIN and as well if possible be always # 1 ranked (as there are other advantages of earning more benifits, such as extra income/money via sponsors, advertisement etc.). This tend to put pressure on individual’s self-belief system. As soon as one realize (or self doubt) that they can’t win, they tend to find other ways and means to attain the WIN. This leads them to breaking rules of the game. It is very unfortunate in current sports this kind of un-noticeble/un-ethical practive of breaking-rules are happening.
As sadguru well said, if there is no love towards the sports one is playing, then they don’t desrve a place in the game.