Accounting For Deviant Behaviors Among Marathon Runners

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cheating among those who participate in sports activities is by no means a new phenomenon. Deviance among sports groups has traditionally involved either noncompliance with the rules or the consumption of illicit, performance enhancing substances. Such acts of deviance grow increasingly troublesome and punishable when rewards, such as financial gain or personal accolades, come into play. This is often the case for those who engage in the sport of marathon running. Participation in marathons has continued to grow over the past decades, and as more people seek to partake in these challenging courses, more opportunities for cheating arise. Cheating in marathons is somewhat unique compared to other sports activities, and thus, it is important to gain a further understanding of how people may perform acts of deviance, how might such deviant actors attempt to minimize their blameworthiness using accounts in the form of excuses and justifications toward those who would seek to socially demonize them, and applying previously established sociological concepts to new deviant groups.