Peter Kropotkin, do you approve of competitive sports?
Yes and no — I approve some forms of sport, and strongly criticize others.
I support physical play, recreation, and athletics that build health and social bonds. I believe in healthy bodies and minds, communal activity, joy, creativity, outdoor activities, shared endeavors, and collective skill-building
In my book Fields, Factories and Workshops I argue that physical well-being and recreation are essential parts of a balanced life — especially when integrated with meaningful work. I praise communal activities, excursions, and outdoor life because they strengthened solidarity.
I also admire societies where group physical activities are communal, collaborative, and non-exploitative. I love community soccer games, workers’ sports clubs, co-op gyms, group hiking, cycling, martial arts, non-hierarchical teams, and accessible, inclusive sports.
Do you know that there is a tradition of anarchist gymnasiums, athenaeums, and workers’ sports clubs in Spain, France, and Italy — which were explicitly inspired by my ideas?
However, I am critical of Hyper-commercialized, corporate sports. I despise billion-dollar leagues, athlete exploitation, owner-controlled franchises, and the conversion of play into profit. I oppose rigid obedience, command-and-control discipline, and militaristic coaching styles because they reproduce the social relations of bosses and servants.
I also oppose spectator sports that turn people passive. I object to any system where a few “stars” perform while thousands merely watch, where athletic excellence becomes celebrity, and people consume rather than participate. I repeatedly warn that capitalist societies turn people into spectators rather than active creators of their own lives.
I also believe competition is deformed by capitalism into destructive forms. Thus, I oppose sports that valorize domination, violent, win-at-all-costs cultures, and abusive training environments
I support school sports only if every child can participate, hierarchy is minimized, coaches are mentors, not tyrants, competition is friendly, and the emphasis is on joy, not rankings