Sports have always been governed by some kind of unwritten rules or traditions, that allow consistent adjudication of the results and ensure a fair contest for the winner. In almost all organised sports, official records of results are maintained, and information can be openly announced or reported to the sports public, if necessary. In most other sports, however, simple hand-written notes tend to be the norm. For example, while running is a widely advertised sport, few people seriously consider recording the times when they finish a race. This is because there is no official method to adjudicate results, as all results are subject to personal judgment. When this happens, especially in amateur sports where results can easily be declared wrong, the result is often a surprise to the sports public.

There is a long and colourful history behind sports. The Ancient Greeks, who were famous for their athletic prowess, began training for war in the first century BC. Romans, Chinese, Persian and others all developed different methods of exercising and sports preparation, with varying levels of success. Modern sports refer to the scientific methods of assessing an athlete’s performance, using data available to the public.

A number of factors go into sports – the equipment used, the competition format, the sponsors and the involvement of the athletes. However, one of the most important factors of sports is the effort put into the training of the athletes. It is estimated that training accounts for up to 60% of a sportsman’s performance, and training time should never be neglected. The importance of sportsmanship can never be overstated. A sport with no clear rules and regulations leaves room for the unexpected, with consequences that are not always pleasant.

One example is the French Quarter in New Orleans, USA. The area has been home to Cajun people for hundreds of years, with an intense bond between the Creoles and their ability to win physical contests. Many Cajun sports can trace their roots back to the French Quarter because so much of the territory was originally occupied by French settlers. However, it would be unfair to say that they have completely dominated the region. The weather conditions and terrain of the region make it a challenge for basketball contests to take place, but the passion for the contest is formidable.

Sports can be divided into two categories: athletic and non-athletic. Athletic sports involve the use of the whole human body; for instance, wrestling, boxing, basketball and track and field. Non-athletic sports involve physical exertion that does not require the use of the body. For instance, kick boxing and softball do not require the use of the entire body and are therefore categorized as non-athletic sports.

Professional sports can be divided into two further divisions: football and hockey. Football involves physical contests between two competing teams, while hockey involves one team playing against another in a short period of time. Autotelic sports refer to those sports where exertion of physical stamina is necessary. This includes sprinting up a hill or through the snow to complete a certain task.