Safeguarding in Sports

Psychological or Emotional Abuse

Name-calling, insults, threats, and humiliation.
Psychological abuse is any unwanted action, such as isolation, verbal aggression, humiliation, intimidation, infantilization*, or other treatments that diminish a person's self-esteem and dignity.
* Infantilization refers to treating someone as though they were a child, intending to undermine their sense of identity, dignity, and self-esteem.

Physical Abuse

Physical harm or injuries that are not accidental. This includes:
• Hitting, pushing, slapping, kicking, and similar acts.
Physical abuse refers to any intentional, unwanted act, such as punching, beating, kicking, biting, or burning, that causes physical trauma or injury. It also includes:
• Forced or inappropriate physical activity (e.g., training or activities that are unsuitable or unreasonable for the athlete's age or physical condition, or forcing participation despite injury or pain).
• Forced consumption of alcohol or drugs or coerced doping practices.

Neglect

Occurs when an athlete is not provided with proper care, supervision, or support necessary for their safety and well-being.
Neglect means failing to meet the minimum level of attention by a coach or other responsible person, potentially causing harm, leading to injury, or creating an imminent risk of injury.

Harassment and Abuse

Harassment is a repeated, targeted, aggressive behavior involving force, threats, teasing, or intentionally placing someone in embarrassing situations.

Harassment and abuse can be based on any criteria, including race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, physical attributes, or athletic abilities. It may involve a single incident or a series of incidents, occurring in person or online.

Harassment and abuse often result from an abuse of authority, where individuals in positions of trust, influence, and power (real or perceived) misuse their power against another person. Athletes can also commit acts of harassment and abuse.
For individuals under the age of 18, peer abuse describes incidents where an athlete is exploited, intimidated, or harmed by another athlete or group of athletes of the same age.
Sexual Harassment
Any unwanted and unwelcome sexual behavior, whether verbal, non-verbal, or physical. Sexual harassment can escalate into sexual abuse.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual behavior, with or without contact, where consent is coerced, manipulated, not given, or cannot be given.
Methods of Harassment and Abuse:
Includes contact, non-contact, verbal, and abuse through electronic communications. It may involve deliberate actions or failure to act, as well as omissions.
Forms of harassment or initiation include:
• Bullying: Intentional, often repeated behavior over time that harms another person or group.
• Hazing: Initiation practices common in various social groups, including sports teams, where new members are subjected to certain activities to be socially accepted by their peers.
Harassment and abuse are more likely to occur where poor practices, defined below, are not immediately challenged.
Inappropriate Behavior
Actions or inactions that may not always be immediately harmful but fall below necessary standards and/or the code of conduct. Certain inappropriate practices may raise suspicions about someone's intentions, even when no harm is intended. Examples include:
• Being alone with a child.
• Excessive or inappropriate physical contact.