Sport is a kind of play. Play is one of the components of human activity, like work and contemplation. A concrete activity is mostly composed of several elements, but receives its name from the predominant component which determines its sense. Sport is therefore play, though there are considerable elements of work in it, as we see best of all in professionalism.

Play is not a matter of producing certain goods or of performing certain services (as in work), and it is not a matter of letting ourselves be captivated by …