It's how you play the game: Poor sportsmanship is becoming all too common

It is said that nobody likes a spoilsport. But sports and ethics experts as well as one Olympic gold medalist say poor sportsmanship is becoming a problem in national and international sports.

From trading dirty looks during events to over-the-top grandstanding afterward, a few — albeit rare — examples of poor sportsmanship have crept across professional and international events, including the Olympics.

A little over a week ago a match between the U.S. men's volleyball team and Italy in Athens broke down after Italy won. Players on both sides traded profanities, which were picked up by NBC's microphones and broadcast nationwide.

Such displays, experts say, leak from the television set and end up being repeated on the high school field and gymnasium.

Last week a friendly eating contest between football rivals Bingham and Hunter high schools turned into a fistfight on local television. One ethics expert says these incidents stem from a lack of good examples in sporting.

"One thing that I've always liked about the Olympics is that it's a way that people from various countries and differences can come together and peacefully compete in a nonviolent way," said David Keller, director of the Center for the Study of Ethics at Utah Valley State College.

News of U.S. running champion Maurice Greene announcing he is the "greatest of all time" before the final race, or of runner Shawn Crawford turning to casually talk to his teammate, Justin Gatlin, before crossing the finish line during a semifinal 100-meter race proves disheartening.

"These people are supposed to be a cut above everyone else in terms of behavior," Keller said. "That kind of behavior compromises the feelings of mutual respect."

Olympic gold medal speedskater Derek Parra says he has seen his share of stellar examples of sportsmanship, and not-so-stellar displays of poor attitude, during his career.

Training at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, Parra took time to speak with the Deseret Morning News about what he sees as a growing problem of poor sportsmanship in professional and Olympic sports.

"When I saw last night the 100-meter sprinters I thought there're going to be thousands, or millions, of kids who are track athletes who are watching this and going to think that it's OK to do that," Parra said.