Speaking Event – Jonathan Duke-Evans
I’ve been asked to speak at the upcoming FLS Conference at Twickenham on 12th May, and I’ve been thinking a lot about why the subject matter in my book is still so relevant today.
The conference is centred around a simple question: how far is it legitimate to go in order to win?
It’s a question that sits in the background of sport, business, and even public life. Most of us would say we value fairness. We like to think we’d do the right thing. But when the pressure’s on, when outcomes affect everyone, should the decisions we make be more nuanced?
Although it was the historical perspective that drew me to write An English Tradition: The History and Significance of Fair Play – I’m very aware that fair play matters as much today as it ever did.
Fair play isn’t a modern invention. It has roots that go back centuries, tied to ideas of honour, restraint, and respect. It shaped the way games were played, how competition was understood, and how people were expected to conduct themselves even when no one was watching.
However, in today’s world we are no longer operating in small, local environments where behaviour is visible and reputations are built slowly. We’re in faster systems. Higher stakes. More scrutiny. And in many cases, more reward for cutting corners than for holding your ground.
So the question becomes less theoretical and more personal.
What do you do when doing the right thing costs you something?
At the conference, I’m looking forward to exploring this alongside people from very different fields. Sport, business, and the military all face this question in their own way. The contexts are different, but the underlying dilemma is often the same.
There’s also something valuable about stepping out of your own environment and hearing how o
thers navigate these moments. It gives you a wider frame of reference. It helps you see where your own lines are… and whether they hold under pressure.
The day itself is designed to be conversational rather than purely academic. There will be space to listen, but also space to reflect and engage.
For me, this isn’t about preaching a set of rules.
It’s about returning to a question that’s easy to overlook:
What kind of person do I want to be when it really matters?
If that question resonates with you, I’d be very glad to see you there.