Inside Sport: Is Professionalism Killing Sport?
Tuesday 28 September; BBC ONE 2305-2335 BST (with regional variations)
Repeated Saturday 2 October; BBC ONE 1300-1330 BST

Is Professionalism Killing Sport?

Has the fun gone out of sport and do the top sport stars actually enjoy what they do? Would their performance improve considerably if they simply relaxed and put the enjoyment back into game? Is professionalism actually making our sportsmen worse at their sport?

Today, sport at the highest level is a huge business making millionaires out of so many - but does competing at the highest level squeeze the joy out of sport for those at the very top?

In this fascinating documentary, former England cricketer and Times writer Ed Smith speaks to some of the biggest names about how they approach their professions and how a sprinkling of amateurism can actually make them better at what they do.

On the eve of the Ryder Cup, the pinnacle of the amateur ideal, we speak to captain Colin Montgomerie about the passion, enjoyment and uniqueness of competing on the world stage for no money.

Laura Davies also gives her perspective, a fierce competitor who doesn't like to practice.

Other stars interviewed include Olympic sprint king Usain Bolt who is famous for his laidback demeanour on the track, plus tennis ace Roger Federer, Ryan Giggs, jockey Tony McCoy and cricketer Mark Ramprakash.

Lewis Hamilton also takes a break from the F1 World Championship to offer his thoughts.

And England World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward, a man who's professional approach to preparation has got him to the very top, argues against Ed's theory that over-coaching leads to under-performance.

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