Ethical issues in sports included in new PE GCSE

The new GCSE, AS and A level qualifications have been sent to Ofqual for approval, and feature an increased emphasis on the anatomical and psychological factors affecting sporting competition.

Gender based and cultural barriers to participation to sport will make up part of the new qualification, as well as ethical issues such as the increased commercialisation of sports, violence in sports and the use of performance enhancing drugs.

The GCSE will require students to perform in three sports, including one individual and one team based sport, and will include an introduction to improving sports performance through methods such as biomechanics, plyometrics and high-intensity interval training.

Sara Mallett, PE subject specialist at OCR, said: “Whether students dream of captaining England’s women’s football team, winning a Paralympic gold medal or coaching the England rugby team to World Cup victory, our new PE qualification will boost their chances of success.”

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