Ethics in Sport Management:

Case Study #4
Athlete A-Netflix

Due: Sunday, November 17th by 5:00pm in assignment box D2L.

Are there policies on discrimination, organizational reporting systems for USA Olympic
Gymnastics, Michigan State University, NCAA? Use these policies as references.

Out of Balance: What responsibilities did USA gymnastics/organization(s) have prior to, during,
and post reported events. Ideas: Policies, regulations, oversight, accountability, reporting
procedure, monitoring, corruption) and what the ethical principles guide you in your thoughts.
What does USA Olympics, Michigan State University, the Club program need to do next, what
should a non-effected institution be doing from a policy standpoint to make sure this does not
happen within their organization/institution.

Tarnished Trust: What responsibilities did the coaches(s) have prior to, during, and post
reported events. Ideas: Policies, regulations, oversight, accountability, reporting procedure,
monitoring) and what Ethical principles guide you in your thoughts.

Team Culture: Athlete A showcase a (organization/coaching) culture that was steeped in fear,
abuse, power, and deprivation. What are your observations (and reflections on those
observations) of the team culture and environment through the Athlete A movie from an
ethical lens? Did Larry Nessser benefit from the closed culture around him? What observations
support this, what could have been done to prevent the events of Athlete A from happening?

Man of few words: Steve Penny former president and CEO of the Indy based USA Olympics was
subpoenaed to appear at the U.S Capitol. Penny Invoked his Fifth Amendment right of non-self-
incrimination six time. What are the sport ethics behind your thoughts specifically on his actions
through these events?

Gender Discrimination: Nesser denied any wrongdoing. In the beginning it was a he said/she
said with the power going to the male. What ethical observations to you see in regard to the
events that occurred in Athlete A? Identify the discrimination events from a gender lens. What
is the role of the SMP in these gender discrimination observations? “The world of gymnastics,
where girls were trained to suffer silently, to tough it out, and to never complain, let an abuser
like Nassar operate with impunity for much of his career. But the ways in which the women
who did confront him were silenced speaks to a larger phenomenon. They were warned that
they’d ruin a man’s life, damage his career, hurt his family. They were told that they were
misinterpreting things. They were encouraged even to silence one another.” What are the
ethical, moral and society views that supported this behavior?

Abuse in Sport : Identify the types of abuse in this events and give a specific example of each
one identified. What could have been done from an SMP perspective/authority to monitor,
oversee, report, etc. Were there any warnings signs that the SMP should have identified and
followed up on?

Race in Sport: Can you identify any racial ethical issues in this movie, if yes, what ethical issues
are there and what is an example. What is the role of a SMP in racial ethics in Athlete A.?

Sportsmanship, Gamesmanship, Cheating: Can you identify sportsmanship, gamesmanship, or

cheating ethical issues in Athlete A? What are your ethical foundation observations? What is
the role of a SMP in oversight of sportsmanship, gamesmanship, and cheating? Where are the
“lines” of gamesmanship when athletes (and coaches) are chasing gold medals?

Ethical Considerations of Parents: Can you identify any parent ethical issues in Athlete A? What
are your ethical foundations for these observations? What is the role of a SMP in working with
parents in the ethical situations you have identified?