Some people think that professional athletes make good role models for young people, while others believe they do not. Discuss both the views and give your opinion.

Professional athletes enjoy great fan-following. Youngsters idolize them. Some people believe that their success and popularity make them great role models; however, not everybody agrees with this view. Young people can learn a lot from successful sportsmen. On field, sportsmen are the epitome of positive qualities like strength, agility, speed, stamina, focus and determination. Their hard work, perseverance and dedication to their game are commendable. Even youngsters who have no ambition to become athletes can learn a lot from the never-say-die spirit players exhibit on field. These qualities certainly make them great role models. On the flip side, many sports personalities have a tainted personal life. In spite of their professional success, many of them get into crimes. They pick up fights with fans and journalists. They get into brawls. They flaunt multiple girlfriends. At least some of them have been convicted for abusing or even killing their girlfriends or wives. Several sports personalities have also got themselves involved in match fixing scandals. They betrayed their country and their fans for monetary gains. There are also athletes who endorse products like cigarettes or alcohol. Considering the amount of influence they have on young people, they have a responsibility to stay away from such practices, but very few of them seem to care. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this. Sports personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Roger Federer and Steffi Graph have maintained their clean image both on and off the field. To conclude, sportsmen do have several qualities that make them role models for youngsters. They can teach youngsters qualities such as perseverance and dedication. However, many of them also possess a lot of negative traits. Young people need to understand that they are admiring the player on the field and not the person off it.