amateurism

Amateurism refers to the practice of pursuing an activity for the love of it rather than for financial gain. The term derives from the French amateur, meaning lover of, from the Latin amare, to love. It is commonly contrasted with professionalism, in which individuals earn their living through the activity.

In historical usage, amateurism has appeared across arts, sciences, and sport. In the arts and intellectual life, amateurs were often respected practitioners who contributed to fields without drawing a primary income from their work. In many periods, expertise, refinement, and social status were linked to amateur status, even as professional specialists expanded in number and scope.

In sport, amateurism became a defining organizing principle in the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in Britain and the Olympic movement. Governing bodies created rules to separate amateurs from professionals, aiming to preserve fairness and expose participants to a broader social spectrum. The Olympics, in particular, enforced strict amateur eligibility for much of the 20th century, leading to notable controversies and debates about compensation, opportunity, and exclusion. A well-known case is Jim Thorpe, who was stripped of his 1912 Olympic gold medals for having played semi-professional baseball; those medals were restored to his heirs in 1983. Over the late 20th century, many sports relaxed or eliminated formal amateur requirements as professionalism became widespread, and the Olympics began to admit professional athletes in several disciplines.

Today, amateurism continues to describe non-professional participation and is often used to emphasize passion, community, and voluntary effort. Critics argue that rigid amateur–professional distinctions can reinforce elitism or impede access, while proponents highlight intrinsic motivation and the value of participation for personal development and cultural life.