User:力/sandbox/rfc

NSPORT RfC draft ideas:

Principles

 * 1) Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, but also functions as an almanac.  It is not an indiscriminate collection of information.
 * 2) All content on Wikipedia must be verifiable, and must not be original research.  They must also adhere to a neutral point of view.

Findings of fact

 * 1) Wikipedia contains a very large number of biographies of sports persons.  In general, these biographies focus almost entirely on the sports careers of those persons, and not on wider biographical information.
 * 2) The notability guidelines for whether a topic warrants its own article are not part of the five pillars.  They exist on the basis of there being consensus for their existence, in that these guidelines are a useful measure to ensure that Wikipedia remains an encyclopedia and not an indiscriminate collection of information.
 * 3) The WP:NSPORT notability guidelines provide a baseline for discussions on whether a topic warrants its own article.  These are generally described as "presumptions", and can serve as both inclusionary and exclusionary guidelines in certain contexts.
 * 4) The details of WP:NSPORT are decided by consensus of the project as a whole, and not simply by members of the relevant WikiProject.
 * 5) Stub articles are an essential part of the encyclopedia; it is neither required, expected, nor possible for some articles to grow to dozens of paragraphs in length.
 * 6) Wikipedia is not a paper encyclopedia; there is no limit on the number of articles that can be a part of the project other than the number of topics that meet the project guidelines.
 * 7) In some situations, it is more appropriate to have a single article discuss multiple topics (or biographies) than to have stand-alone articles.
 * 8) The Wikipedia community is generally concerned about diversity, and would like guidelines that allow for a representative number of biographies of women, minorities, and people from the Global South.

Example articles

 * Inoussa Dangou - participated for Benin in the 1980 Summer Olympics in a single event. Sourced only to a sports database.
 * Link Wasem - appeared in two Major League Baseball games in 1937. Sourced to a sports database and a genealogy/memorial site.
 * Diana Evangelista - six appearances in the Liga MX Femenil. Sourced to the Liga MX Femenil's own website.
 * Tiffany Gauthier - Tiffany Gauthier (born 2 December 1993) is a French alpine ski racer. (with no other content), sourced to a sports database.

Controversial statements and questions

 * 1) Is a biography that only contains information sourced to reliable statistical databases considered to meet WP:V?
 * 2) What is the exact relationship between WP:GNG (the General Notability Guideline), and the subject-specific guideline of WP:NSPORT?
 * 3) Wikipedia adds little to a reader's experience when it replicates the content of a single source; it will never be as complete or as up-to-date as the original.
 * 4) At the highest level may be subject to interpretation.  A multiplicity of leagues, sanctioning bodies, record-keeping practices, and national traditions requires an editor's judgement.

Proposals

 * 1) NSPORT guidelines should have a two-tier system.  Players at the first tier are presumed to be notable based on their athletic performance, and articles should generally be kept even without specific biographical references.  Players at the second tier may be notable, but should include at least one biographical reference, or else be included on a list article.  Players that do not meet the second tier are not excluded from the encyclopedia, but should meet WP:GNG or have a claim to notability other than through their sports performance.
 * 2) NSPORT enumerates the activities classified as sports. Competitions in the Olympic Games are presumed to be notable. Exhibitions in the Olympics may or not qualify. Other sports with widespread play, such as cricket, do. Activities not included in the WP:SPORTS list, i.e, bowling, darts, and billiards are not eligible for the treatment described below. The various Projects will determine standards of notability (first class) for their area of expertise.
 * A first class participant documented by a reliable reference (database or citation) in any accepted sport will be eligible for a REDIRECT to a suitable list of participants in that sport. Expansion of a REDIRECT into a standalone article on the player, living or not, requires multiple reliable citations that include details other than a recitation of sports performance, in accord with WP:GNG.