Athletes from Around the World Address Child Protection in Sport
May 14, 2021
Arising from the explosive sexual abuse scandals in gymanstics and soccer, this past Tuesday a global network of athletes unions published the results of a two-year research project aimed at more effectively protecting young people in sport. Detailing how government and sport bodies can help safeguard children, it was presented at an online conference hosted by the World Players Assocation and the National Basketball Players Association.
About 300 international athletes, including some Olympians, shared their experiences of abuse and intimidation they suffered and witnessed as minors for the new Census of Athlete Rights Experiences (CARE) report. The research began after the sentencing of Larry Nasser, the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor convicted of multiple sexual offenses involving athletes and children, as part of a project with England's Loughborough University.
Among the key findings included: 61% of athletes reporting having experienced at least one form of emotional abuse at least once as a child, 37% experienced one form of physical abuse and 51% weren't even aware of the existence of a union/player association before the age of 18.
“The US gymnastics case has been a catalyst for change and for survivors to speak out throughout the world," said Andrea Florence, project coordinator for the Switzerland-based World Players, whose members represent professional athletes in more than 60 countries. "We want real change and we want the cycle of abuse to stop.”
A bullying culture in gymnastics has been investigated recently in countries including Australia, Japan, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In English soccer, decades of systematic abuse of boys in youth teams linked to professional clubs was detailed by survivors in media interviews starting in 2016. The Guardian also revealed scandals in Afghanistan and Haiti involving sexual assaults of women's national team players since 2018. The former soccer federation presidents in each country, Keramuddin Karim and Yves Jean-Bart, were banned for life by FIFA.
The World Players Association brings together 85,000 players across professional sport through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries. Its report urges governments and sports bodies to enact laws and set up processes that safely give abuse survivors access to justice, apologies and compensation.
"Survivors of abuse won't take the risk of reporting if the right systems and protection mechanisms are not in place," Florence stated. "We look forward to working with sports governing bodies, including the IOC and FIFA, to bring to life the recommendations set out in the CARE Report and ensure that athletes are able to play sports safely -- from the playground to the podium."
The IOC will soon begin an international course to educate safeguarding officers at sports bodies. The governing body of soccer runs a child protection program called FIFA Guardians.
The conference also looked to help athlete unions better represent child athletes, with World Players executive director Brendan Schwab noting it was “a vital gap we are determined to fill.”
Source: AP