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Sportsarealegitimatesourceofincome.Afterall,likeanyotherjob,athletesareexpectedtoworkhardandachievegloryfortheirrespectiveclubs,countryandcommunity.Thereisntmuchdifferenceathletesandofficeworkersintermsofthededicationandperseverancethattheirjobsdemandofthem.However,manyofusgaspinshocktolearnthatwhatthebulkofthemearninaweekisalmostequivalenttowhatwe,regularfolks,earninayear.Forinstance,WayneRooney,atopflightfootballerinthePremierLeagueispocketingacool$250,000a

weekwhilethemajorityofushavetocontendwithasalarythatsjustenoughtomakeendsmeet.Wheresthejusticeinwhat?wequestion.

However,whatwemoreoftenthannotfailtoconsider,isthatanathletesjourneyinhissportisatumultuousone.Takingintoaccountthephysicalnatureofsports,injuriesareadefinitesetbackforthem.Andwhilethestockmarket,businessstatisticsandothersuchnumericalfigurescanbesaidaboutsportsinjuries.Eachandeveryathleteisatriskofgettingatreacherousgroininjury,ligamenttearormuscledysentryatanystageoftheirillustriouscareer.ToquoteJohnF.Kennedy,Theonlyunchangeablecertainlyinlifeisthatnothingisunchangeableorcertain.Andwheninjuriesplagueasportman(orwoman)theirmarketvaluetakesanosedive.Whothenwouldemployorevenpayaninjuredathleteto

warmthebench,nursinghisorherinjuries?Obviously,noonewould.Hence,itissafetoconcludethatanathletespaycheckisnotastableincomeasithighlydependsinmanyunpredictablefactors.

Injuriesaside,weshouldalsonotethatthelifespanofanathletesjobinhisorherchosensportisshortlived.Oneday,abadmintonplayerisbaskinginhis15minutesofworldwidefame,andthenext,heisgivingapeersconferencetoannouncehisorherretirement.Suchisthenatureofsportswherebyagecatchesupwiththeathletesandforcesthemtomakeanearlyexitattheownnationalshutter,WongMewChoohasdecidedtohangupherracquetandtryherluckatcoaching,amuchlower-payingjob.NoteveryoneisRyanGiggs,theevergreenManchesterUnitedMidfielderwhoisstilltearingupthepitchinhislate30-s

Sufficetosay,duetotheunpredictablenatureandshorttimespanoftheircareersinsports,athletesdonotearntoomuchmoney.Unlikebusinessandpolitics,onceanathletedecidestowalkoutfromthestadiumforthelasttime,thereisoftennoturningback.Sinceallheorshehaseverknownforlifeissports,athletesoftenhanginlimboafterretirement.Evensponsorswithdrawtheircontractsandtheseoncefamoussportspersonaceasetoearnsomecashonthesidethroughadvertising.Therefore,Ipersonallybelievethattheirhighincomejustifiestheirshortlivedjob.

So,maybe,certainfactionsofsocietyrolltheireyesindisgustafterreadingorheatingthatmanyathletesspendtheirsix-figuresalaryontrivialmatterswiththat?Itistheirownmoneyandhence,theirownresponsibilitytouseitwi

sely.Thatswhysomeofthemevenemployfinancialadvisorstohelpthemcurbtheirspendinghabit.Afterall,theacquiredmoneycomecountriesforpayingtheir

athletestoomuch,weshouldinsteadgoafterthoseunscrupulouspartiesinthecorporatesectorwhosiphonmoneyfrompublicfundstospendonthemselves.

AccordingtoPeterParkersUncleBen,Withgreatpowercomesgreatresponsibility.Unlikewhatwethink,thereareactuallyathletesouttherewhovouchforcoursesclosetotheirhearts.Notonlydotheyoffermoralsupporttothoseinneed,theyalsocontributegenerouslyfinancially.Someevenestablishtheirownfoundationswhilemanyotherssupportandlendavoicetoorganisationstheyfeelaconnectionwith.Forexample,DavidBeckham,aworld-renownedfootballerservesasaUNIFEFambassadorundertheUnitedNationsbanner.Therearemanyothercasesofathleteslendingahelpinghandorvoiceandweshouldntstereotypethemall

justbecauseamaterialisticfewshowalapseofjudgementinmakinguseoftheirsalary.

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Theriotofallevilismoney,astheoldadagegoes.Wedontdoubtthesayingasweseemanypeopleresortingtoillegalandirresponsibledeadtobebetteroffthanothersfinancially.Drugtrafficking,briberyandmoneycounteringarejustsomeoftheaforementioneddeedsweshouldcriticisenotsports.WhileTigerWoodsmayhavegivenathletesabadname,weshouldallrefrainfromlabellingthemassexmaniacswhoabusetheirmoneyandpower.Justbecausethereareisolatedcasesofathletesbreachingthemoralcodeofethics,therealproblemisnot

theobsceneamountofmoneytheyearnitstheprinciplestheyholdandapplyinlife.Whetherornottheunnecessaryluxuries,itsalluptothem.Astothequestion,doathletesearntoomuchmoney?Icanonlysaythatiftheendsjustifythemeansandtheircluborcountryarewillingtoshelloutthatkindofmoney,whynot?Istronglydisagreewiththestatementthatathletesearntoomuchmoney.