First, I don’t like the concept of ‘sportsmanship’ because it implies that playing dirty is even an option. As if someone needs to go out of their way to be a decent human being, hence, they deserve accolades for it.
Let me ask you this: is it praise-worthy to kick the ball out of the pitch when a player from the other team inexplicably collapses to the ground? I don’t think so, because the other option is risking the death of this player or having a stroke just to score a goal! Going with that option doesn’t indicate a lack of sportsmanship, it simply means that the person doing it is an absolute psychopath. Even if it was the World Cup final or whatever. Humans matter more than games.
Should you tell the referee when the ball touches your hand (which is something that almost nobody does in soccer) yes, you absolutely should, the other option is called being a cheater. You shouldn’t pretend to fall inside the 6 yards. You shouldn’t act as if the other player hit you in the face when they didn’t.
The list goes on, I do believe that moral values should be the norm and hailing heaps of praise on people who do the minimum ethically gives the impression that the alternative was expected.
A good Muslim shouldn’t seek people’s admiration or approval, but only the pleasure of Allah.
Islam instils in his followers the moral principles that a good person should follow in life: don’t lie, don’t cheat, be respectful, people are more important than money, etc.
You shall live by these morals, and you may not leave them at the gate of the stadium.
