Moral dilemma
Let me try to explain this clearly.
Im part of an adult tennis team. We play at a 3.5 level (its just a skill level rating) and although its a small league, we all get pretty competitive. I've been with them for a couple of years and my goal has always been to get bumped up to a 4.0 level so I can play against tougher opponents. My first season started pretty bad, but my record has improved every year. Last season we finished 12-0 but lost in the playoffs, this season we are first and it looks like its gonna stay that way. Our current season actually has 3 seasons and the first part is about to end.
I would be ok with getting bumped up now, except that the closest 4.0 team plays out of Phoenix Tennis Center, which is about an hour from my house, and I like the guys I play with now.
My dilemma is that so far this season I have been playing very well. I have a 6-0 record, and last week I beat one of the best players on the league(he had a groin injury so he couldnt move very well). What my captain is asking me is to throw my last 2 matches so that I can stay in our 3.5 league for this season so we have a shot at nationals.
Wellllllll I cant throw a match, I cant hit the ball out on purpose, thats horrible sportsmanship and not fair to my opponent. Once the match starts I get on win-win mode. In the best scenario I will actually lose the two remaining matches, but ive looked at my opponents and I've beaten them both easily in the past.
After several days of thinking about this I came up with a compromise that I am a little more comfortable with, but not entirely. I think I'll play the first set all out, whether I win it or lose it I will retire with an "injury" sometime early in the second. That way I'll get the loss but at least ill give my opponent a decent first set.
Any input? It feels pretty bad to do that, but not as bad as hitting the ball into the net on purpose or something like that.
I think I failed at explaining this clearly but I would still appreciate any thoughts on the issue.