Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.

Summary

This quote suggests that serious sport is removed from the concept of fair play and is instead fueled by negative emotions such as hatred, jealousy, and boastfulness. It implies that participants in serious sport often overlook rules and derive sadistic pleasure from witnessing violence, essentially comparing it to the experience of war without the use of firearms. In essence, the quote challenges the notion that sportsmanship and integrity prevail in serious athletic competition.