Sport for children — although a popular and healthy free-time activity in general — under certain circumstances can be harmful. This article explores how children engaged in elite sport may suffer from health problems, lack of education and limited or no free time. Furthermore, it considers the ways through which they may be exploited by their training and competing environments and how their right to freedom of association is often limited. Adopting a human rights approach, this contribution seeks to examine national as well as international measures to protect child athletes. An analysis of existing regulation identifies shortcomings and is followed by suggestions on how to improve child protection in elite sport.
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