Can this game be saved? 

Similar to laws and regulations in business, without rules, the game of sport is dead. Think about it. Throwing a ball is just throwing a ball — until you devise a method for determining a winner, specify which ball to use, and draw a line from which to launch it. That’s when it becomes a sport.

Of course, wherever rules exist, there are people who’ll attempt to cross the line. It’s not a new phenomenon. During the past year especially, news headlines have been dominated by scandalous allegations of doping, match-fixing, bribery, tax fraud and cheating. There’s no evidence that dishonesty runs more rampant today. However, while increased coverage and scrutiny can encourage honesty, it also can serve up constant reminders that the sports we love may not be meritocracies. With every legendary athlete and storied sports organization that falls from grace, our trust erodes a little more.

This leaves an important question: is it too late to restore integrity to sports before corruption wins the game? Read more from James “Chip” Cottrell, Partner, Deloitte US, and Emanuel Medeiros, CEO, ICSS, in this week’s Sports Business Journal.