Sportsmanship is traditional value in sports and competition. It means playing clean and handling both victory and defeat with grace, style, and dignity.

Sportsmanship is generally understood to include

• playing fair
• following the rules of the game
• respecting the judgment of referees and officials
• treating opponents with respect

The ideal of sportsmanship argues that "it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, but how you play the game".