Athletes are expected to demonstrate emotion as part of the overall sporting experience. Various types of feelings may be associated with a specific sporting activity and reflect the athlete’s self-evaluation and perception of the audience’s evaluations of their performance. Certain feelings may be anticipatory before a sporting event, while others may emerge during the performance. Athletes often observe specific rules and regulations that govern these feelings. Such rules can include appropriate behaviour during national anthems or victory celebrations.
Throughout the 20th century, sports have become an important cultural and economic force. Sports have become a means to market to every possible consumer. These activities not only promote individual enjoyment, but also establish status, prestige and power for those who participate in them. In addition to this, modern sports are often considered to be symbols of nationhood, allowing for emotional engagement and cultural exchange among ordinary citizens. And in some countries, such as Uruguay, nationhood and economic growth are indissolubly interconnected.
As the process of globalization reached its apogee in the early 20th century, sports spread worldwide. Colonized peoples were compelled to adopt Western sports in order to compete with their fellow colonizers. They often adopted new styles of sports as a form of emulation, and even started their own football teams based on English influence. By the end of the 20th century, sports were widely accepted, and international competitions became a regular occurrence.