--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Athletics is a luxury." description: "\"Athletics is a luxury.\" — Roger Bannister" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png" --- # Athletics is a luxury. ![“Athletics is a luxury.” quote by Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png) > “Athletics is a luxury.” [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletics requires resources and privilege, making it less accessible to many. **In simple terms:** Sports need money and status. Key Takeaway Recognize inequality in sports access. Themes inequality privilege access Mood reflective critical Type observational analytical When to use this quote - Community programs - school sports - public funding - grassroots initiatives Key Concepts Socioeconomic disparity resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - How can we make sports more inclusive? - What role does wealth play in athletic success? A Different Perspective Not all athletes have equal opportunities; systemic barriers exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athletics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) ## Related quotes > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [In order to succeed on the athletic field, it is necessary to succeed in daily life. Your spirit and your life must be perfectly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-order-to-succeed-on-the-athletic-field-it-is-necessary-to-succeed/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There are a lot of things that can be learned from the darker corners of athletics. You have doctors who view bodybuilders as cavalier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-can-be-learned-from-the-darker-corners/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [Because I just like sports, I like athletics and I like competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trishelle-cannatella/because-i-just-like-sports-i-like-athletics-and-i-like-competition/) [Trishelle Cannatella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trishelle-cannatella/) > [Athletics keeps us healthy, gets us up and running around. It also gives you an opportunity to meet a lot of different people, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jeter/athletics-keeps-us-healthy-gets-us-up-and-running-around-it-also/) [Derek Jeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jeter/) > [I was focused on athletics, outdoors, sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-namath/i-was-focused-on-athletics-outdoors-sports/) [Joe Namath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-namath/) > [Football, that's just athletics. But in the business world - doing everything - people are competing. So you need good work ethics, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herschel-walker/football-that-s-just-athletics-but-in-the-business-world-doing/) [Herschel Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herschel-walker/) > [Writing is a little athletic for me. I get worked up a little bit when I do it. So I guess I'm a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/writing-is-a-little-athletic-for-me-i-get-worked-up-a-little-bit-when/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Few would deny that blacks have become very dominant in athletics: football, basketball, track, now dominant in tennis and dominant in golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/few-would-deny-that-blacks-have-become-very-dominant-in-athletics/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“The modesty of the athletic body which is contented with its perfection You could limit your human existence to filling your shape with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-drieu-la-rochelle/the-modesty-of-the-athletic-body-which-is-contented-with-its/) Pierre Drieu la Rochelle > [I think when you are the parents of a gifted athlete, the best thing in the world you can do is to encourage them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-lilly/i-think-when-you-are-the-parents-of-a-gifted-athlete-the-best-thing/) [Bob Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-lilly/) > [Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-difference-is-that-some-of-us-are-in/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Doctors and scientists said breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/doctors-and-scientists-said-breaking-the-four-minute-mile-was/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-doherty/the-five-s-s-of-sports-training-are-stamina-speed-strength-skill-and/) [Ken Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-doherty/) > [If you only ever give 90% in training then you will only ever give 90% when it matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/if-you-only-ever-give-90-in-training-then-you-will-only-ever-give-90/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) ## More by Roger Bannister > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [Mothers, unless they were very poor, didn't work. Both of my parents had to leave education. My mother had to work in a cotton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/mothers-unless-they-were-very-poor-didn-t-work-both-of-my-parents-had/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [My concentration was really on getting to university and becoming a doctor. My parents let me know that school marks were important. Achievement was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/my-concentration-was-really-on-getting-to-university-and-becoming-a/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [If there was the opportunity to climb a mountain, or to go ballooning, or some adventurous activity, I would always be keen to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/if-there-was-the-opportunity-to-climb-a-mountain-or-to-go-ballooning/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [Sport is not about being wrapped up in cotton wool. Sport as about adapting to the unexpected and being able to modify plans at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/sport-is-not-about-being-wrapped-up-in-cotton-wool-sport-as-about/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [The mile has all the elements of a drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/the-mile-has-all-the-elements-of-a-drama/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [May is a very early time in the year and the weather is usually bad. You cannot run a fast mile race if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/may-is-a-very-early-time-in-the-year-and-the-weather-is-usually-bad/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [My family actually lived in the same village for about 400 years. They had great stability until the last century. People lived and intermarried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/my-family-actually-lived-in-the-same-village-for-about-400-years-they/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [The human spirit is indomitable. No one can ever say you must not run faster than this or jump higher than that. There will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/the-human-spirit-is-indomitable-no-one-can-ever-say-you-must-not-run/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [Doctors and scientists said breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/doctors-and-scientists-said-breaking-the-four-minute-mile-was/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [Beating John Landy was my defining race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/beating-john-landy-was-my-defining-race/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [I had always wanted to become a neurologist, which is one of the most demanding vocations in medicine. Where do you stop, after all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/i-had-always-wanted-to-become-a-neurologist-which-is-one-of-the-most/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/the-man-who-can-drive-himself-further-once-the-effort-gets-painful-is/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [I was playing rugby and the other games English school children do, and there was an event in which races were run, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/i-was-playing-rugby-and-the-other-games-english-school-children-do/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [If a man coaches himself, then he has only himself to blame when he is beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/if-a-man-coaches-himself-then-he-has-only-himself-to-blame-when-he-is/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) [Explore all 59 Roger Bannister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Athletics is a luxury.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Bannister" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/athletics-is-a-luxury/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/athletics-is-a-luxury/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56c/roger-bannister-11572_athlete_athletics-is-a-luxury-2245485_2245485.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Athletics is a luxury.” — Roger Bannister", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Roger Bannister", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Athletics is a luxury.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/athletics-is-a-luxury/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/athletics-is-a-luxury/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```