Team GB’s Anthony Joshua fights Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle at the London 2012. Only amateur boxers are allowed to compete at the Olympic Games
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Nowadays, the term ‘amateur’ describes a sports performer who is less skilled than a professional. It has almost become a negative or derogatory expression, but that wasn’t always the case.
The word ‘amateur’ comes from the Latin words meaning ‘for the love of’. The gentleman amateur in Victorian times was someone who played sport purely for enjoyment. Amateurs abided by a code of fair play, which meant respecting not only the written rules of a game but also the spirit in which it was to be played. A true amateur would never try to gain an unfair advantage by dubious means.
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