The Management of Harassment and Abuse in Sports: A European Investigation of the Experts’ Opinions

Abstract

The current study explored sports administrators’ perspectives on the management of harassment and abuse in sports and assembled them into issues that raise awareness and understanding of the factors that impinge on the promotion of healthy sports environments. Transcription, description, and analysis of standardized focus group discussions (FGD) involving key stakeholders and policymakers in five European countries using standardized questioning routes were carried out. The results pointed towards a lack of education and dissemination of relevant information, an absence of specific to sports legislation, an inexistent Code of Ethics, and the absence of mechanisms, for reporting perpetrators and supporting victims. The current recruitment strategies of sports personnel were also identified as obstacles that impinge the promotion of safe sports. The consistency of the findings across five European countries suggests that we have identified some key dimensions which impose the prevention of harassment and abuse in sports. which may consequently also help in understanding policy implementation failure.

Keywords:

• abuse
• harassment
• prevention
• stakeholders
• opinions
• barriers

Acknowledgments

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the funding body cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein. The authors of this research would like to thank HALT team who generously shared their time, experience, and materials for the purposes of this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the European Commission [1579-EPP-1-2014-1-GR-EPPKA3-ECHE]

Notes on contributors

Monica Shiakou

Monica Shiakou (Corresponding author), Ph.D., Associate Professor in Psychology, Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus. Her research interests include (among others) children’s development, assessment of developmentally appropriate practices in school settings, children’s play, bullying, and school violence. She has experience in designing best practices for harassment and abuse. 

Andreas Avgerinos

Andreas Avgerinos, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Pedagogy in Education, Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus. His research work and interests pertain to the fields of health promotion in youth, curriculum design in PE, curriculum evaluation, teaching and pedagogy.

Antonis Alexopoulos

Antonis Alexopoulos, Ph.D., Lecturer in Sport Sociology. Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus. Dr. Alexopoulos is one of the first Sport Sociologists in Cyprus.

Styliani Douka

Styliani Douka, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Physical Activity and Recreation Aristotelio University, Salonica, Greece. Her research interests are Physical education, Dance, Sociology of Sport and Leisure, event management, and teaching sports through e-learning. She has published more than 130 papers in Journals and in well-known refereed conferences and she is a co-author in 3 books. She is also involved in numerous sports and cultural event organizing committees.

Thrasyvoulos Tsiatsos

Thrasyvoulos Tsiatsos, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Information Systems, Aristotelio University, Salonica Greece. His research interests include Networked Virtual Learning Environments, Computer Uses in Education, Evaluation methods of Internet Learning Environments, and Open and Distance Education using Multimedia and Internet Technologies. He has published more than 160 papers in Journals and in well-known refereed conferences and he is co-author in 3 books. He has been a PC member and referee in various international journals and conferences.

Bruno Avelar Rosa

Bruno Avelar Rosa, Ph.D., Portuguese Football Players’ Union. He worked as Technical Staff in the Sports Promotion Department of Barcelona Sports Institute (Barcelona Council, Spain) and in the Education and Training Department of Portuguese Sports Institute. He was an Assistant Professor in School of Education in Polytechnic Institute of Viseu and now he’s an Assistant Professor in Europeia University, Lisbon.

Stefan Scharnagl

Stefan Scharnagl, BA, ASVÖ Salzburg, Austria, Salzhurg. Sports trainer at the Austrian Sailing Association.

Natalia Orive

Natalia Orive, BSc, Asociacion De Jugadoras De Futbol Sala, Madrid, Spain. President of AJFSF. Vice President EU Athletes. Member of the RFEF Board of Directors. Member of the Board of Directors of the Higher Sports Council and member of Women and Equality Spanish Olympic Committee.

Laura García Diaz

Laura García Diaz, MSc, She is a sports manager at Asociacion De Jugadoras De Futbol Sala, Madrid, Spain.

Isabel García Carrión

Isabel García Carrión, MSc. She is a sports psychologist at the Asociacion De Jugadoras De Futbol Sala, Madrid, Spain.