Swimming is a sport

While this is most certainly not my first debate in my life, it will be my first debate on this website. I chose this debate because of the challenge it faced me with, and I am interested in improving my skills of debating a topic which I disagree with. It is also because I saw a debate just like this, and I felt that the opposition did not do his side justice. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I would like begin by examining the proposition's statement and their argument, and to seek further clarification of the bill. Firstly, the bill simply states: "Swimming is a sport. " I would like to point out that the proposition has failed to define this bill further, only stating that: "Swimming is by definition a sport. " While the proposition may truly believe this, he/she has failed to provide said definition, and so I shall happily oblige to offering one. I propose to use the Oxford Dictionary's definition of sport to define the word "sport" in the bill: "An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. " And for swimming: "The activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs. " I believe that the proposition will find it agreeable to follow these definitions throughout the debate, and I hope that he/she finds them reliable and concrete enough to use as a base for the bill. It is important to have a clear and understandable bill so that we can assure that the debate is truly fair and just. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Now I will counter the proposition's points, along with stating my own. My opponent stated in his argument that: "Swimming is one of the hardest sports out there. " While this may or may not be true, the statement is nullified by your own bill. We are not here to argue about whether or not swimming is a difficult activity -- it is irrelevant. We are here to argue about the validity of swimming as a sport, which I am about to discuss. Swimming is not, by definition, a sport. There are a number of reasons why. One such reason is that there are many different ways to swim! Children learn to swim in ways which are effective at saving themselves and getting from point A to point B without too much energy being used. Lifeguards learn to swim in ways which are effective at saving themselves and their patrons. People who need to lose weight learn to swim in ways which are effective at losing weight without putting stress on their bodies. People who have disabilities learn to swim in ways which accommodate their conditions. This list could go on and on, however my characters are limited greatly. The main point is that only a very small portion of swimmers swim in a competitive nature! When someone jumps into a lake and moves back and forth in the water, is this person taking part in a competitive activity? No! When someone wants to lose weight and swims in a pool to shed a few pounds, is this person taking part in a competitive activity? No! When a lifeguard rushes into the water to save someone's life does he/she care what his time is compared to other lifeguards? Of course not! These are ALL common examples of activities that people take part in every day! None of them are competitive in nature! And, if you look at the definition of swimming again you will see that it says: "The activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs. " All of the examples I have provided fit this definition. These people are moving through the water using their limbs. These people are swimming! According to the definition of a sport, the activity must be competitive in nature! If the activity is not competitive, it is therefore not a sport! Therefore, swimming is not a sport!