Sustainability of Policies Addressing Harassment and Abuse in Children's Sports: A Descriptive and Cross-National Account of Five European Countries

Abstract

Harassment and abuse in children's sports have significant long-term impacts on young athletes. The sustainability of policies addressing these issues depends on their comprehensiveness, implementation, enforcement, and adaptability. Despite progress by many sports organizations, abuse rates remain high. This study explored the perspectives of stakeholders on managing harassment and abuse in children's sports, aiming to promote healthy environments. It involved analyzing focus group discussions with 37 stakeholders from five European countries: Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Austria. While the overt cases of abuse and harassment were easier to identify and address by the participants, the findings revealed several gray areas that complicate the situation which included physical training regimens, intense coaching practices, boundary violations, distinguishing motivation from mental abuse, parental conduct, and culturally accepted tactics. These gray areas were further influenced by cultural underpinnings, as norms and practices surrounding authority, discipline, and interaction in sports vary significantly across different cultural contexts. Participants emphasized the insufficiency of current educational programs and called for comprehensive initiatives to raise awareness among parents, coaches, federations, and child athletes. Training children on self-protection strategies was also deemed crucial. Participants highlighted the inadequacy of existing reporting mechanisms and advocated for clear, publicly accessible reporting guides. Despite acknowledging existing frameworks and policies, they reported inadequate implementation, indicating a gap between policy development and practical application.