TORONTO (AP) - when pro athletes lash out - with fists, beanballs or even a chomp of their teeth - they are subject to swift and often scathing analysis from a growing number of psychiatrists concerned about the level of violence in sports.

Problems ranging from abusive coaches to gang rapes by athletes were tackled during a symposium Tuesday night at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, which has drawn 17, 000 mental-health professionals to Toronto.

Panelists acknowledged that violence has existed in sports throughout history, but contended there is new cause for alarm because children see so much of the misconduct depicted, and often glorified, on television.

"It seems every week something horrible is happening in the world of athletics. Something that goes over the line, and that our kids see over and over again on TV," said Dr. Ronald Kamm, a specialist in sports psychiatry who organized the symposium.

"Television has made athletes larger than life," Kamm said. "when kids see the violence in sports, they copy the behavior of these role models."

Incidents discussed at the workshop include Latrell Sprewell's attack on his coach and Mike Tyson's ear-biting outburst, but panelists had plenty of fresh ammunition for their arguments.

They mentioned defending champion Gustavo Kuerten's disqualification from the French Open this week for throwing his racket, and the May 19 brawl between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, provoked when Armando Benitez drilled Tino Martinez in the back with a fastball.

Panelists suggested a range of remedies, including increased emphasis on sportsmanship in youth leagues, alcohol bans at stadiums to reduce fan misconduct, and tougher penalties for athletes who engage in violence.

"The more kids see athletes getting away with it, the more they emulate it," Kamm said.

The down-to-earth hand-wringing about sports violence was mingled with some highly technical terminology.

Dr. Antonia Baum, a psychiatrist from the University of Rochester, spoke about "intermittent explosive disorder" - a seemingly apt description for much of the behavior under discussion.

Kamm suggested that animal behavior studies could provide useful insights into sports violence. For example, he said Benitez - in throwing at Martinez after surrendering a home run to Bernie Williams - was trying to reassert his territorial dominance.

Kamm said some research has suggested that certain athletes may be genetically predisposed to violence. He cited one study linking violent tendencies among hockey players to their testosterone levels.

Dr. Robert Burton, a Northwestern University psychiatrist who has served as consultant to the Chicago Bears, discussed the problem of verbal abuse in sports. Screaming coaches, jeering fans, trash-talking athletes- all contribute to an environment conducive to sports violence, he said.

"Sports is such a big part of people lives, and there's no organized group out there to oppose abuse," Burton said. "As psychiatrists, we can say it's just plain wrong.

The panelists said psychiatry is underutilized by the sports establishment, in large part because of resistance by coaches, owners and parents. Baum said coaches and parents often do not want to hear any suggestion that a young athlete may be suffering emotional damage because of participation in a sport.

By David Crary
Associated Press Writer
June 3, 1998 14:37 EDT