Professor Yazid Ibrahim of the Department of Health and Kinetics has asserted that modern sports have lost one of their core attributes—the uncertainty of outcomes—due to deep-rooted ethical and integrity concerns. He emphasized that addressing these challenges requires a shift in how individuals and society perceive sports, particularly the tendency to equate it with warfare.
Delivering Bayero University, Kano's 54th Inaugural Lecture on March 27, 2025, at the Convocation Arena, Prof. Ibrahim titled his lecture: "Sport is War; War is Sport: Ethical and Integrity Concerns." He referenced George Orwell’s (1945) argument that sports historically served as a substitute for military conflict, providing societies with a structured outlet for aggression and competition.
Citing Mark (2014), he explained how sports were historically used to shape native populations into British models of discipline and efficiency, while the military, in turn, adopted foreign sports like polo and popularized them in Britain. Drawing parallels between sports and warfare, he noted that both demand strategy, discipline, teamwork, and an unrelenting drive to win—qualities that fuel intense rivalries and competition.
Prof. Ibrahim stressed that the integrity of sports is judged by its participants, spectators, sponsors, the general public, and the media. He warned that corruption has infiltrated sports at all levels, from match-fixing and bribery of officials to scandals within international football governance. He cited examples of former FIFA President Joseph Blatter and Vice-President, Michel Platini, whose involvement in corruption underscored the urgent need for ethical reforms.
To safeguard the future of sports, he proposed far-reaching reforms, emphasizing the need for fair play, transparency, and accountability in all levels of competition, from amateur leagues to professional sports. He also called for codes of conduct for fans to minimize violence, discrimination, and misconduct in sporting environments.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Professor Haruna Musa, reiterated the significance of inaugural lectures in the university's academic tradition. He encouraged other professors yet to present their inaugural lectures to take advantage of the university’s support.
The event drew a distinguished audience, including senior academics, professors, university staff, and members of the general public, highlighting the significance of the discourse on ethics and integrity in sports.