Recalibrating Sport Integrity today: The power of Hunhuism Philosophy

Abstract

This study utilizes a mixed-methods paradigm to investigate the decline of global sports morality and evaluates the role of Hunhuism/Ubuntuism—an African philosophy of humanity—in restoring integrity. Findings indicate a systemic shift toward win-centeredness over athlete-centeredness across all competition levels. Employing a multi-stage sampling approach, the researcher gathered data from information-rich participants. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency counts, mean, standard deviation, and t-tests, while qualitative insights were processed through thematic analysis. The results reveal a hierarchy of misconduct: age-fraud is the most prevalent, followed by match-fixing, doping, corrupt officiating, and gamesmanship, with sex falsification occurring least frequently. Such cheating negatively impacts sports development by disenfranchising deserving athletes. The study concludes that internalizing Hunhuism/Ubuntuism from infancy to adulthood can significantly minimize immorality. Consequently, it is recommended that sports governing bodies integrate these philosophical principles into school curricula and all competitive frameworks. Furthermore, the study advocates for a dual-pronged enforcement strategy: the application of stiff penalties for perpetrators and the adoption of modern technologies, such as biometric verification (BVR) and MRI, alongside moral awareness campaigns. Finally, the research emphasizes the necessity of political leadership in enacting policies that uphold ethical standards and protect the foundational values of Ubuntuism in sports.