ICON - A study by Matthew D. Hooper FdA, 2013 Introduction

It is my opinion that role models should be our parents, family and friends, but for many in our world their role models are actors, singers, artists, writers, presenters, TV personalities and sports men and women. These people are icons, people that are famous for their achievements in a certain field and are known the world over, with their public persona becoming a brand in itself. Particularly young people hold these people in very high esteem and look up to them, more than their own parents, for direction and the actions of these icons can in many instances impact upon the lifestyle choices of an individual that will never meet them.

An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn "image") is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches. More broadly the term is used in a wide number of contexts for an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy, as in semiotics; by extension,icon is also used, particularly in modern culture, in the general sense of symbol — i.e. a name, face, picture, edifice or even a person readily recognized as having some well-known significance or embodying certain qualities: one thing, an image or depiction, that represents something else of greater significance through literal or figurative meaning, usually associated with religious, cultural, political, or economic standing.

It is the extension of the word Icon that is relevant when we look at the famous figures that people hold in high esteem and look up to.

Icons transcend their field, examples being Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Princess Diana of Wales, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Pele, David Beckham and Pavarotti among others.

Sporting icons are athletes that transcend their sport, gaining fame and popularity with fans of sports other than the one they play. Sporting icons generally elevate their sport and raise its profile to a national or global audience. They are in general seen to be positive role models, with their healthy lifestyle and with the sense of fair play seen in sport that isn't so prevalent in modern society. The iconic figures in sport can, in many cases, cross over into other areas and be associated with icons from other genres such as Music or Politics.

Iconic figures from the movie world have on several occasions crossed over into sport, one key example being the film Escape to Victory. Actors including Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone came together with footballers including Bobby Moore and Pele for the movie which depicted Allied prisoners of war in a German prison camp during World War II. The 1981 film followed Rocky and Rocky II, the films which, also based on sporting topic, made Sylvester Stallone an iconic actor of his era. Pele was the most high profile and greatest footballer of the 60's and 70's, this combination of world famous actor and all-time great footballer resulted in a global profile and popularity.

My study intends to use a variety of sources including literature written about several iconic sportsmen and women, sources online and complete a survey relating to a selection of sporting icons to determine who the greatest sporting icons are.

I will be publishing my study in several parts throughout 2013 on here.