Pedro- should athletes be held to different standards?

[RubeBaker]

I think it's great when we get a good ethical discussion going on these boards, and I think the latest incident with Pedro and Marichal proposes a good one.

There is a US law whereas any corporation that is based in the US, or is owned by the US, must still comply with US law regardless of where they operate. So even if a company is in say, Elbonia (yes, the third world country from Dilbert), they can't just dump all the toxic waste they want simply because there are no laws in Elbonia against dumping toxic waste. I know, it happens anyway but it's the thought that counts here.

The question is, should atheltes be accountable for their actions regardless of where they are?

Pro: The MLB, NBA, NFL, and all the other pro leagues are all corporations, and these athletes are employed by these corporations. Furthermore, they are making millions in the US as public figures and should be held responsible for their actions regardless of location.

Con: This is something that was done on their own time, and as long as it was legal in whatever country, that's their business. Furthermore, it's an invasion of personal rights to hold them to a different standard.

Personally, I think they should be held accountable. What do the rest of ya think?

[StanTheMan]

Should they be held to different standards? They already are.

(I voted for "they should be held accountable")

[rockin500]

they are held to different standards, to be sure. But should they? I'm not really sure. I went with no. If they are in america, follow american rules. if they are in the dominican, follow dominican rules.

[spark240]

There is a US law whereas any corporation that is based in the US, or is owned by the US, must still comply with US law regardless of where they operate.

Reference?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Did Marichal and Martinez break any Dominican laws? Pedro wasn't representing the NY Mets when he was caught on video. Athlestes should be held to the standards of their community and country. Like it or not cock-fighing is legal in the DR.

[Old Sweater]

Not all the players can to the goody two shoe straight laced players that some of the fans want them to be. I'd be like watching a bunch of robots in a game if so.

[Mattingly]

While something being legal may get someone to avoid jail time for where they'd commited an act, that won't necessarily fly in the court of public opinion. In the USA, many frown upon cock fighting and dog fighting. If it's legal in the DR, then they escape punishment over there. However, once they return to US soil, that doesn't mean that fans or the general public will approve of this conduct.

Prostitution is legal in the State of Nevada. Does that mean that my Congressman/woman can go out in the Red Light District and not hear it quite loudly from any of his/her constituents?

I think that Pedro and Marichal should realize that, while cockfighting may be a popular "sport" in the Dr, that doesn't mean the people back here (where they have made most of their money) agree on the sporting aspect.

[Mattingly]

Not all the players can to the goody two shoe straight laced players that some of the fans want them to be. I'd be like watching a bunch of robots in a game if so.
I don't think that either of those guys would have to be like "Opie" from Mayberry RFD. If he drinks a little, swears a little, I won't mind. However, pitting animals or birds against one another, I can think of a few better things I'd prefer to see top athletes do.

Everyone's different in their approach. :)

[Old Sweater]

I don't think that either of those guys would have to be like "Opie" from Mayberry RFD. If he drinks a little, swears a little, I won't mind. However, pitting animals or birds against one another, I can think of a few better things I'd prefer to see top athletes do.

Everyone's different in their approach. :)



I agree with that but everybody is different in their opinion also or boards like this would die real quick. I myself can't see where they done any harm. Having to deal with PETA will be penalty enough for Pedro.

[Captain Cold Nose]

I don't think it's MLB's or anyone else's place too dictate morals or ethic on an individual basis. Just as it's no one's right to tell other what they should or should not be offended by.

If people have an issue with what Martinez did in the DR, what someone "caught" him doing, that's fine. But because he's a Met do we have to turn him into Eliza Doolittle? No.

[KCGHOST]

Players should hold themselves to a higher standard of conduct. They have such a good thing going for them they should take special care to evaluate the ramifications of their actions.

The recent Pedro chicken fighting deal is an excellent case in point. He did nothing illegal and, in fact, where it did it is culturally approved. But due to this incident you will never ever read an article evaluating his career without a reference to the cock fighting episode.

As a side not, it is an interesting commentary on how we view athletes in that we hold them to a higher standard of conduct than the average joe, but rockers and rappers are held to no standard of conduct. And the latter two certainly have more influence on kids than athletes.

[2Chance]

IMO that's what these guys need their managers, agents and PR people for. Watching people with talent (singers, actors, athletes) do stupid things has become too common. Some things you would think they should know better. But they have definitely surrounded themselves with people that should.

Anyone in the public eye should hold themselves to a higher standard. But it's folly for me to hold an athlete, singer or actor to one.

As for US laws in foreign countries, some of their laws are more harsh than ours. Remember that American a few years ago who was caned for vandalism? People got all upset about that, caused a big stir. I say the guy had it coming to him for 1) not knowing the laws of the country he was visiting and 2) being disrespectful of his hosts.

When in Rome....

[metfan13]

Players should hold themselves to a higher standard of conduct. They have such a good thing going for them they should take special care to evaluate the ramifications of their actions.

The recent Pedro chicken fighting deal is an excellent case in point. He did nothing illegal and, in fact, where it did it is culturally approved. But due to this incident you will never ever read an article evaluating his career without a reference to the cock fighting episode.

As a side not, it is an interesting commentary on how we view athletes in that we hold them to a higher standard of conduct than the average joe, but rockers and rappers are held to no standard of conduct. And the latter two certainly have more influence on kids than athletes.

But he's a citizen of that country. Grew up in that country. Is immersed in its culture. Is PART of its culture.

And because of that, why would he even care if "the cockfighting incident" is included in every bio of him. That's STILL imposing US cultural biases on actions that took place elsewhere.

[sturg1dj]

There is a US law whereas any corporation that is based in the US, or is owned by the US, must still comply with US law regardless of where they operate.

so how is it that sweatshops exist then?




and you know what, regarding the question......baseball was so much more fun when we didn't know/care that Mickey Mantle was a pill popping drunk, and that all players were popping amphetamines. ignorance is bliss

[NYMets523]

I like how his appearence at a cockfight is overshadowing all his charity work he does for the Dominican Republic.

[Brian McKenna]

Top professional athletes live a charmed life. They are cowtowed to from their youth and they are amply rewarded in many, many ways in life - not just financially.

Is it a shame that the trade off here brings criticism and rebuke for acts deemed offensive and contrary to the public good? Absolutley not. They get more pats on their back than anyone at this forum - so what if they get slapped in the back of their head at times - we all do. They put themselves in the public eye - for better or worse - for pats or slaps.

Economists have what they call opportunity costs. Doing/being one thing prevents you from doing/being another thing. It's all a trade off - pick your own route - but don't cry about it later.

I'm also not one to cry for multi-millionaires. If some choose to do so, let them. I have more pressing family responsibilities.

[sturg1dj]

Top professional athletes live a charmed life. They are cowtowed to from their youth and they are amply rewarded in many, many ways in life - not just financially.

Is it a shame that the trade off here brings criticism and rebuke for acts deemed offensive and contrary to the public good? Absolutley not. They get more pats on their back than anyone at this forum - so what if they get slapped in the back of their head at times - we all do. They put themselves in the public eye - for better or worse - for pats or slaps.

Economists have what they call opportunity costs. Doing/being one thing prevents you from doing/being another thing. It's all a trade off - pick your own route - but don't cry about it later.

I'm also not one to cry for multi-millionaires. If some choose to do so, let them. I have more pressing family responsibilities.



they also have no control what they can do off the field because they are watched at all times and the owners control them as much as possible through contracts. I try not to think of ball-players as multimillionaires, but instead I look at them as laborers. You may laugh, but the money they make is dwarfed by the owners.

many sources talk about how the players have little control over their own bodies. They are forced to take cortisone shots or have surgery...whatever it takes to play. That led to one hypothesis over why steroid use was so prevalent, because it was the only way a player had control over their own bodies.

we all on this board love baseball and wish we could still be playing and would love to get paid to do it, but what the professionals do is night and day to what we did. I am not going to say I feel bad for them, but I understand that it is not just 6 months of playing a game.



and this charmed life doesn't include minorities does it? what about the Latin players like Pedro who grew up in poverty only to be signed at near nothing to spend years at a development camp.the lucky ones got to go to America and fight for a job while the unlucky ones are dropped and left to fend for themselves without an education or any skills other than baseball.

[hudsonharden]

The video camera is the downfall of the civilized world. Nobody of any notoriety can go anywhere without being recorded. It's completely insane. The Dominican Republic is so far from my back yard, so pretty much anything that goes on down there isn't going to bother me. I hate to pull out this tired old cliché, but what happens in the Dominican Republic should stay in the Dominican Republic.

[Brian McKenna]

Entrepreneurs or laborers - a multi-millionaire is a multi-millionaire.

A charmed life is one with the benefits and opportunites that are far outweighed by those who grew up in similar circumstances. So, yes indeed, professional athletes pulled from poor circunstances are indeed taking advantage of the charmed aspect.

[digglahhh]

There is a US law whereas any corporation that is based in the US, or is owned by the US, must still comply with US law regardless of where they operate. So even if a company is in say, Elbonia (yes, the third world country from Dilbert), they can't just dump all the toxic waste they want simply because there are no laws in Elbonia against dumping toxic waste. I know, it happens anyway but it's the thought that counts here.

Not to get off topic, but...

Actually, Chapter 11 of NAFTA, contains the infamous "tantamount to expropriation" clause. The gist of this clause is that if a nation passes a law that undermines the multinational's ability to profit in that country, the country must "refund" the company it's investment costs.

Many of the more advanced environmental types laws are not on the books in developing countries simply because the types of industry we are stationing in these countries were previously non-existent in those areas. That is to say, not that such standards aren't not in existence because the country doesn't care, but because such situations had never been faced.

The clause ostensibly allows NAFTA investors to challenge environmental regulations, or at least force governments to pay a hefty price for passing and enforcing them. Some of the better known cases along this line include Metalclad, Ethyl, Methanex... In many of these cases, a company is found to be polluting an area, and then legislation is put in motion to limit the level of pollutants, the company them files a Chapter 11 motion claiming the govt is interfering with its rights to do business under the NAFTA agreement.

Recent interest expressed in globalizing NAFTA would extend this dynamic.

So, I'm not really sure what basis on which the above statement was made.


As far as the original question, I'm not sure athletes should be held to a higher standard simply because they are public figures. But, they'd be foolish not to recognize that their actions will be judged, by virtue of them being a public figure. (If my life was fodder for the newspaper, all you guys would judge me more than you do now...). So, they can't have their cake and eat it too. If they want to avoid the scrutiny, then they must hold THEMSELVES to a higher standard. If the don't feel they need to, that's fine, but they should expect to be judged in the public square.

To lighten up my post, here's some entertainment for you guys, Pro Athlete Lauded For Being Decent Human Being (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/38750)

Edit: In the first paragraph, I had originally typed "U.S.(based) mulitnational," but the same dynamic applies to all corporations. The U.S. would be liable for making restitution to a foreign based corporation who economic activity we may restrict by passing environmental laws.

[digglahhh]

they also have no control what they can do off the field because they are watched at all times and the owners control them as much as possible through contracts. I try not to think of ball-players as multimillionaires, but instead I look at them as laborers. You may laugh, but the money they make is dwarfed by the owners.

many sources talk about how the players have little control over their own bodies. They are forced to take cortisone shots or have surgery...whatever it takes to play. That led to one hypothesis over why steroid use was so prevalent, because it was the only way a player had control over their own bodies.

we all on this board love baseball and wish we could still be playing and would love to get paid to do it, but what the professionals do is night and day to what we did. I am not going to say I feel bad for them, but I understand that it is not just 6 months of playing a game.



and this charmed life doesn't include minorities does it? what about the Latin players like Pedro who grew up in poverty only to be signed at near nothing to spend years at a development camp.the lucky ones got to go to America and fight for a job while the unlucky ones are dropped and left to fend for themselves without an education or any skills other than baseball.

Good post. It doesn't totally contradict bkmckenna's though...

Recognizing that pro athletes are indeed proliterians is very important in understanding the business aspect of the sport. It is important to understand the level to which the "produce the product" and drive the business as a whole. A-Rod doesn't just hit homers, he sells hot dogs, ad space, jerseys, he creates "brand loyalty," etc. It is important to understand how talentless non-contributors "overpaid" athletes make rich. It is important to consider the alternative to giving $200M to A-Rod, oh I guess we'd all be happier if George just kept it in his pocket?...

But that's a separate dynamic from being emotionally spoiled and materially catered to. Being a laborer and a whiny, spoiled celebrity are not inherently mutually exclusive.

[bluezebra]

I think it's great when we get a good ethical discussion going on these boards, and I think the latest incident with Pedro and Marichal proposes a good one.

There is a US law whereas any corporation that is based in the US, or is owned by the US, must still comply with US law regardless of where they operate. So even if a company is in say, Elbonia (yes, the third world country from Dilbert), they can't just dump all the toxic waste they want simply because there are no laws in Elbonia against dumping toxic waste. I know, it happens anyway but it's the thought that counts here.

The question is, should atheltes be accountable for their actions regardless of where they are?

Pro: The MLB, NBA, NFL, and all the other pro leagues are all corporations, and these athletes are employed by these corporations. Furthermore, they are making millions in the US as public figures and should be held responsible for their actions regardless of location.

Con: This is something that was done on their own time, and as long as it was legal in whatever country, that's their business. Furthermore, it's an invasion of personal rights to hold them to a different standard.

Personally, I think they should be held accountable. What do the rest of ya think?

The athletes are INDIVIDUALS, not corporations. They should be accountable for the laws in the country where they are, not the laws of the United States.

Bob

[dl4060]

What he did was despicable, but legal in the country where he was. He certainly cannot be prosecuted, but I hope he gets reamed in the court of public opinion.

I have always been a huge Pedro fan, and I really hate to see this.

As to the question of athletes being held to higher standards? They are, regardless of whether they should be. Baseball players are where they are because of their skill on the field, not their character. We should expect their behavior to mimic the behavior of the society around them.

[sturg1dj]

Entrepreneurs or laborers - a multi-millionaire is a multi-millionaire.

A charmed life is one with the benefits and opportunites that are far outweighed by those who grew up in similar circumstances. So, yes indeed, professional athletes pulled from poor circunstances are indeed taking advantage of the charmed aspect.


if we are thinking about this in a totally market sense then it would not be a charmed life. These people worked harder than others in the similar circumstance and made it out of the ghettos they grew up in. They are the tops in their chosen field, and like anyone who is tops in their field they want to get paid accordingly. Unlike other jobs, however, these people are not allowed the same freedoms of movement as say a CEO or a top Professor, or even a top Actor.


why the disdain for the ballplayers?

[digglahhh]

if we are thinking about this in a totally market sense then it would not be a charmed life. These people worked harder than others in the similar circumstance and made it out of the ghettos they grew up in. They are the tops in their chosen field, and like anyone who is tops in their field they want to get paid accordingly. Unlike other jobs, however, these people are not allowed the same freedoms of movement as say a CEO or a top Professor, or even a top Actor.


why the disdain for the ballplayers?

All true (except, I don't know if we need to generalize about making it out of the ghettos). Athletes are no more overpaid than the top earners/producers in many other respective professions.

However, what the athletes get in return for their loss of privacy is the adulation of the public. The CEO of Chevron can go to as many strips clubs as he wants, but nobody walks around with his jersey (suit?) on. (The anonymity serves the interest of many CEOs, just as the fame serves the interests of many athletes, btw.).

This also isn't a "opportunity cost" like bk mentioned (I'm not implying you claimed it is), as it is a false dichotomy. Very few ballplayers can legitimately make a choice between being a professional athlete and, I dunno, one of the best advertising execs in the world.

Again, I agree with you. But, I'm not so sure how pertinent these points are to this specific discussion.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

While something being legal may get someone to avoid jail time for where they'd commited an act, that won't necessarily fly in the court of public opinion. In the USA, many frown upon cock fighting and dog fighting. If it's legal in the DR, then they escape punishment over there. However, once they return to US soil, that doesn't mean that fans or the general public will approve of this conduct.

If fans in the US want to boo Pedro because of this that's fine. But to demand that baseball punish Pedro for this is beyond silly.

Prostitution is legal in the State of Nevada. Does that mean that my Congressman/woman can go out in the Red Light District and not hear it quite loudly from any of his/her constituents?
Cock-fighting and prostitution are two different things.


I think that Pedro and Marichal should realize that, while cockfighting may be a popular "sport" in the Dr, that doesn't mean the people back here (where they have made most of their money) agree on the sporting aspect.

No one is telling the people here they have to like it. They can complain all they want. But these people are in no position to ask for any form of punishment for Pedro.

[sturg1dj]

All true (except, I don't know if we need to generalize about making it out of the ghettos). Athletes are no more overpaid than the top earners/producers in many other respective professions.

However, what the athletes get in return for their loss of privacy is the adulation of the public. The CEO of Chevron can go to as many strips clubs as he wants, but nobody walks around with his jersey (suit?) on. (The anonymity serves the interest of many CEOs, just as the fame serves the interests of many athletes, btw.).

This also isn't a "opportunity cost" like bk mentioned (I'm not implying you claimed it is), as it is a false dichotomy. Very few ballplayers can legitimately make a choice between being a professional athlete and, I dunno, one of the best advertising execs in the world.

Again, I agree with you. But, I'm not so sure how pertinent these points are to this specific discussion.

the way that what I am saying goes with the discussion is that I reject the idea that with money you deserve to lose certain privileges like privacy, at the same time I am also against the wealthy getting more privileges. I think the wealthy, famous, and everyone else should be held in the same light.

[digglahhh]

the way that what I am saying goes with the discussion is that I reject the idea that with money you deserve to lose certain privileges like privacy, at the same time I am also against the wealthy getting more privileges. I think the wealthy, famous, and everyone else should be held in the same light.

Right, but what I am saying is that they are not losing or gaining privileges (specifically privacy) on the basis of their wealth, but the manner in which they earn it.

Additionally, privacy shouldn't really have anything to do with conduct. You chose to do something or not because you believe in/support it, or you decline because you don't. The burden of virtue is not heavier on those in the spotlight, merely accountability is. Michael Vick is no more of a brute than the next dogfighter, whose anonymity may protect him/her from public ire but not from moral disgrace.

Sturg, I'm not implying that your plea for athletes to retain their privacy means that you advocate privacy in order to protect an athlete's ability to behave immorally. I figure that should be obvious, but I don't take anything for granted here, know what I mean. Also, although the preceding 'graph may sound like it has a religious undertone, I assure you that's not the impetus.

I'm just sayin', ain't no CEO-fever.com....

[Mattingly]

If fans in the US want to boo Pedro because of this that's fine. But to demand that baseball punish Pedro for this is beyond silly.
I wasn't referring to any punishment by MLB, the Mets or anyone else. I just think that it's disagreeable to participate in any rooster fighting, even as an observer, or even an invited observer, per Pedro's and Marichal's celebrity status.
Cock-fighting and prostitution are two different things.
I know, but both are legal in those places, but unacceptable in other places.
No one is telling the people here they have to like it. They can complain all they want. But these people are in no position to ask for any form of punishment for Pedro.
I never asked for any punishment. Where did you get this idea that this was what I was seeking? How much of a suspension did I ask for? I merely stated that people will voice their disapproval, which is their right.

I only came to this thread to add PETA's posted letter to Pedro Martinez, dated Feb 7, 2008, but please don't read too much into my posting this link, since it's for informational purposes only. I'd searched using "Pedro Martinez" as the text on their search engine (http://www.petasearch.org/texis/search?dropXSL=html&pr=US+sites&prox=page&rorder=1000&rprox=1000&rdfreq=250&rwfreq=1000&rlead=1000&sufs=0&order=r&rdepth=62&query=pedro+martinez&Submit2.x=9&Submit2.y=6) (see the first hit):

http://blog.peta.org/archives/Letter_to_Pedro_Martinez.pdf#xml=http://www.petasearch.org/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=pedro+martinez&pr=US+sites&prox=page&rorder=1000&rprox=1000&rdfreq=250&rwfreq=1000&rlead=1000&rdepth=62&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=47b1c57d9
February 7, 2008

Pedro Martinez
c/o The New York Mets
Shea Stadium
123-01 Roosevelt Ave. Flushing, NY 11368-1699

Dear Pedro,

As many of PETA's 1.8 million members and supporters are baseball fans, we were disheartened to learn of a video showing you and Hall of Famer Juan Marichal taking part in a cockfight as honorary soltadores. While cockfighting may still be legal in the Dominican Republic, we would hope that you, as a role model and future Hall of Famer yourself, would set a better example for baseball fans—particularly children—everywhere.

You may have grown up watching the gallos, but take a step back and look at what actually goes on in the cockfighting ring. Roosters used in cockfights are given weapons and drugs in this cruel, lethal blood sport. They are given steroids and amphetamines to make them stronger, more aggressive killing machines. Their spurs are painfully sawed off and replaced with razor-sharp blades that cut through flesh and bone. After they are released into the ring by the soltadores, they are forced to fight to the death. Usually, even the injuries that the "winner" sustains are so severe that he dies as well. These roosters, like all animals, have the ability to feel pain and fear and suffer.

Cockfighting sets a terrible example for your fans, particularly children. Cockfights are notorious hotbeds of gambling and illegal drugs. As you are well aware, Major League Baseball discourages gambling of any kind by its players, and certainly they will not take kindly to you exposing your young fans to a ritual that is so steeped in cruelty.

In light of this, PETA is calling on you to publicly apologize to your fans for participating in such a cruel and barbaric activity. We would like to invite you to take part in our Developing Empathy for Animals training seminar, which Michael Vick voluntarily attended after he was charged with dogfighting. Please take this opportunity to send a strong message to your fans that cruelty to animals has no place in baseball or society in general. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Dan Shannon,
Assistant Director
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

[Mattingly]

I like how his appearence at a cockfight is overshadowing all his charity work he does for the Dominican Republic.
Lots of athletes do charity work. Even Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation got less attention than his owing NYS money via income tax.

For the record, what are some of Pedro's charitable works that he's done in recent years?

[Captain Cold Nose]

I don't think one's charitable contributions should ever offset the harms one can also do. Writing a check is not writing a free pass.

[Mattingly]

A semi-related article, about cockfighting itself, as seen inside the DR. It ma give an explanation of its popularity over there, and why being a spectator (or bird owner, in Marichal's case) would not be unusual.

Dominicans Say Cockfighting Is in Their Blood (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/sports/othersports/13fight.html?em&ex=1203138000&en=fa66a4b80e12e267&ei=5087%0A)
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — It is Sunday morning at the Club Gallistico de San Martín, and merengue pulses from two loudspeakers by the outdoor bar. But over by the plexiglass cages, the din of 106 roosters overpowers any other sound.

The birds stamp their feet and cock their heads in an uncanny imitation of boxers before a match. Men in Mets and Yankees caps scoop them up and cradle them like infants, stroking their feathers until they close their eyes.

By the time night falls in this cockfighting club in El Nueve, a working-class neighborhood of Santo Domingo, many of the roosters will be dead.

They can have their eyes pecked out by a more vigorous adversary. They can be impaled through the brain with one of the plastic spikes that are affixed to the foot of every fighting bird. Or, if a lung is punctured, the end may come in slow, raspy gasps.

Whichever way the roosters die, José Delio Jiménez will most likely chalk it up to the cruel order of Mother Nature.

“If you put two roosters together, they will fight,” said Jiménez, 69, the club’s longtime proprietor. “But if you put a thousand hens together, they will never fight. The roosters have this in them.”

Many Dominicans look puzzled when asked their opinion of the controversy about an online video of cockfighting in which the current and former major league pitchers Pedro Martínez and Juan Marichal appear. The manager of a cockfighting club in Martínez’s neighborhood said that Martínez was a regular there and that he had also been a guest at Jiménez’s club.

Marichal oversaw the sport of cockfighting when he served as his country’s minister of sports in the 1990s. He also raises fighting roosters, several cockfighting enthusiasts said.

“It is no secret to anybody that he likes cockfighting,” Jiménez said.

In the United States, animal rights groups have called the pitchers’ actions shameful and have drawn comparisons to Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback convicted of running a dogfighting operation last year. Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states.

“There is no moral distinction between dogfighting and cockfighting,” Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement last week. “Both involve the torture of animals for the titillation of spectators who enjoy the violence and bloodletting.”

But in the Dominican Republic, cockfighting is celebrated as a symbol of the country’s warrior spirit. Nearly every neighborhood and country village has a gallera, or cockfighting arena, and the sport is legal and regulated.

There are 1,500 galleras registered with the country’s National Commission of Cockfighting, and the industry employs thousands of people, said Junior Arias Noboa, the commission’s president.

“We don’t see anything wrong with it,” he said of cockfighting. “It is completely integrated in our laws and completely integrated in our tradition.”

The roosters in El Nueve begin their day at around 10 a.m., when they are weighed and matched with an opponent, then placed in numbered cages. Next, Elvin Decena, a licensed rooster inspector dressed in white scrubs, uses an acid rinse that change colors when illegal substances are present on the birds’ skin. Overzealous owners sometimes rub tobacco or other chemicals on the roosters, which they believe makes them fight harder, Decena said. While a helper holds each rooster’s legs, Decena rubs the rinse into the neck feathers, then wipes the head and beak.