ROLE OF SPORTS IN ARMED FORCES
Sports in armed forces is as old as the history of Greece, reason being the two famous cities named Sparta and Athens were based on this basic philosophy of “Participation in Sports for all”.For the physical training of armed forces, for combat sports, for mental and physical toughness and for the production of warriors, sports has been extensively used which ultimately improves the professional efficiency. Sports play the dominant role in raising the standards of serving men an women and fosters a sense of cohesion and identity in new units while also keeping men and women physically fit. Sport has been formally integrated into the armed forces for training and leisure purposes. Sports improves the fitness level, relieves boredom, provides a distraction from the horrors of war, built morale, foster officer-men relations and solidifies unit cohesion and identity. Sport plays an important role in overall armed forces life, including recruiting and retention and at times provides excellent public visibility of armed forces, contributing to public image. To meet the unique physical and psychological demands of units and individuals, sport plays the dominant role. It enhances the individuals’ ability to withstand the rigors of operations and rapid deployment.
