IELTS Essay # 83 - Some people believe that extreme sports should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Essay # 83

Some people believe that extreme sports should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Over the last decade, there is a striking increase seen in the participation for adventure sports, especially among youngsters. Due to the risks associated with these extreme sports, some people believe they should be discontinued. I personally do not agree with this to be a viable solution of any kind. This essay shall attempt to justify this opinion.

Adventure sports like mountaineering, para gliding, sky diving and so on are usually performed by adults only, who have actually discovered that they have a preference for such kind of activities. Youngsters below the age of 17-18 have yet not discovered their liking for such sports. Therefore, adults make conscious decisions about indulging in such sports and are quite aware of their pros and cons, and in most cases are also prepared to deal with the risks. In fact, in sky diving, participants are given a thorough health check up and any adverse conditions if found, the participant is not allowed to perform the sport. The participants of extreme sports say they feel a thrilling adrenaline rush while doing them, and that they are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. By banning such sports, we would be depriving the sports enthusiasts of their rights to choose for themselves.

The argument that extreme sports are a risk to life are true only to some extents as there are other sports too where an injury can become life-threatening. Take for example the head injury to a famous Australian cricket player who died as a result of the cricket ball hitting his head. It cannot be guaranteed that normal sports such as tennis or cricket are completely safe as a few injuries occur there as well. All that can be done in case of extreme sports is to keep a regular check o the equipment used for the sport and stationing trained professionals to advise and look after the participants to minimize the risk as much as possible.

To conclude, I’d say banning extreme sports is not the solution to stop injuries or deaths resulting from sports. If proper care is taken, risks can be minimized but no sport can be totally void of wounds and injuries. 

(358 words)