Competition has always been a sore subject among Christians. The early church fathers along with the Puritans argued that competition tends to bring out the worst in people and should therefore be avoided. In fact, a large segment of Christianity has historically viewed competition negatively.
How should we respond?
There is no doubt that competition can make people self-centered and prideful. But it need not. The bad is often a distortion of the good. That's why sports has generally been thought of as a societal "good." So what do we say to those who disagree with this assessment?
The answer is obvious when we understand that sports is a subset of play. Play creates its own rules. By definition, it's "playful." Sports is play, though it adds its own distinctive elements. For one thing, sports is always a contest. It tries to "win," even when the opponent is ourselves or our previous PR. This sense of "contest" is what gives sports its competitiveness. For example, I imagine that people golf for any number of reasons. This may include the desire to be fit and healthy, or to socialize with friends, or to escape ever-so temporarily the stresses of daily life. But most golfers would probably admit that without competition the sport loses its fun and becomes dull and boring. For the Christian, this means that while sports can have a harmful impact, it is not necessarily wrong. It becomes wrong only when it distorts the good. It seems to me that we humans become the best version of ourselves when we compete against opponents and against ourselves, constantly striving to become the best we can be. We are created in the image of God as dynamic creatures who are hardwired to continually reach beyond ourselves and achieve our potential. Sports can encourage this God-given impulse toward growth and transcendence.
Again, I'll admit that sports can be distorted into something unhealthy. But it need not be. Competition is inherently neither good nor bad. Perhaps this is why sports gives so many people, Christians included, great personal satisfaction. Made in the image of God, we strive to be all he made us to be. Of course, for the believer, sports should never become an ultimate good -- a kind of "Sport-ianity." But there are good reasons for seeing sports as a penultimate good, pointing us to our Creator God, but only if we are careful to guard our attitudes and motivations.
I'll stop here even though I haven't mentioned the great evangelism potential sports has (I think of the evangelistic sports camps in Eastern Europe I've been involved with) or the comradery it provides for Christian athletes (I think of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or Athletes in Action.)
Have a wonderful week!