Lincoln Chafee: “Today is the eighth annual National Sportsmanship Day--a day designated to promote ethics, integrity, and character in…”

“Today is the eighth annual National Sportsmanship Day--a day designated to promote ethics, integrity, and character in athletics. I am pleased to say that National Sportsmanship Day was a creation of Mr. Daniel E. Doyle, Jr., Executive Director of the Institute for International Sport at the University of Rhode Island. Participation this year will include over 10,000 schools in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Today, the Institute is holding a day-long town meeting in which athletes, coaches, journalists, students, and educators are engaged in an in-depth discussion of racial issues in sports. I believe that the Institute's work in addressing the issues of character and sportsmanship, and its ability to foster good dialogue among our young people is significant. As part of the Day's celebration, the Institute selects Sports Ethics Fellows who have demonstrated 'highly ethical behavior in athletics and society.' Past recipients have included: Kirby Puckett, former Minnesota Twins outfielder and 10-time All Star; Joan Benoit Samuelson, gold medalist in the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984; and Joe Paterno, longtime head football coach at Penn State University.”