First dialogues on safe sport
Keywords:
safe sport, interpersonal violence, human rightsAbstract
This article aims to discuss the concept of safe sport, a term still not widely disseminated in Brazil, which refers to the integration of human rights, the prevention of violence, and the promotion of athletes' well-being. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the concept of safe sport involves creating an environment where athletes can train and compete with adequate support, and in which all forms of harassment, abuse, and discrimination are effectively prevented and addressed. Safe sport acknowledges mistreatment as a systemic issue that affects athletes of all ages, in all sports and levels, worldwide. The concept is organized into three main categories: environmental and physical safety, relational safety, and sport optimization. To further explore this issue, the article highlights interpersonal violence, which is committed between individuals or small groups and can manifest as psychological, physical, sexual abuse, and neglect. In the Brazilian context, a study conducted by Melo with 1,043 athletes reveals that 93% of respondents reported having experienced at least one form of interpersonal violence in sports before the age of 18, with psychological violence being the most prevalent (89.9%), followed by sexual violence (58%) and physical violence (49.2%). The data highlight the urgency of addressing safe sport in Brazil, emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach among athletes, coaches, managers, and other stakeholders to build a sports culture that respects human dignity and promotes well-being in sports environments.
Downloads
References
Rubio K. O imaginário heroico do atleta contemporâneo. In: Esporte e mito. São Paulo: Editora Laços; 2017.
Carrington B. Sport, ideology, and power. In: Wenner LA, editor. The Oxford handbook of sport and society. Oxford: Oxford Academic; 2022.
Loland S. Sport, values, and character. In: Wenner LA, editor. The Oxford handbook of sport and society. Oxford: Oxford Academic; 2022.
Debord G. A sociedade do espetáculo. Rio de Janeiro: Contraponto; 1997.
Bourdieu P. A economia das trocas simbólicas. São Paulo: Perspectiva; 1998.
Bourdieu P. Programa para uma sociologia do esporte. In: Bourdieu P. Coisas ditas. São Paulo: Brasiliense; 1990. p. 207-20.
Goffman E. A representação do eu na vida cotidiana. Petrópolis: Vozes; 1985
Rubio K. O atleta e o mito do herói. São Paulo: Casa do Psicólogo; 2001.
Messner MA. Taking the field: women, men, and sports. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press; 2002.
Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA). Atlas da violência 2024 [citado 12 abr 2025]. Brasília: IPEA; 2024. Disponível em https://www.ipea.gov.br/atlasviolencia/arquivos/artigos/7868-atlas-violencia-2024-v11.pdf
Benevides L, Nogueira SN, Pasinato W, Moreira GG. Dossiê: assassinatos e violências contra travestis e transexuais no Brasil em 2023. São Paulo: Associação Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (ANTRA); 2023.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Em 2023, massa de rendimentos e rendimento domiciliar per capita atingem recorde [citado 12 abr 2025]. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE; 2023. Disponível em https://agenciadenoticias.ibge.gov.br/agencia-noticias/2012-agencia-de-noticias/noticias/39809-em-2023-massa-de-rendimentos-e-rendimento-domiciliar-per-capita-atingem-recorde
Schwab B. Protect, respect and remedy: human rights and the sports industry. Nyon: UNI Global Union; 2019.
Knijnik JD, Massa M, Ferretti MAC. Direitos humanos e especialização esportiva precoce: considerações metodológicas e filosóficas. In: Machado AA, editor. Especialização esportiva precoce: perspectivas atuais da psicologia do esporte. Jundiaí: Fontoura; 2008. p. 109-28.
Custódio AV, Veronese JRP. Trabalho infantil: a negação do ser criança e adolescente no Brasil. Florianópolis: OAB/SC; 2007.
Rubio K. Antologia de textos olímpicos: esporte, sociedade e estudos olímpicos. Vol. 1 e 2. São Paulo: Laços; 2023.
Willson E, Kerr G, Battaglia A, Stirling A. Listening to athletes' voices: National team athletes' perspectives on advancing safe sport in Canada. Front Sports Act Living. 2022;4:840221. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.840221.
Nações Unidas. Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos [citado 12 abr 2025]. 1948. Disponível em file:///C:/Users/Bella%20e%20Luci/Downloads/Declara%C3%A7%C3%A3o%20Universal%20dos%20Direitos%20Humanos%20-%201948.pdf
FIFPRO. Universal Declaration of Player Rights [citado 12 abr 2025]. 2017. Disponível em https://www.fifpro.org/media/md2efzpd/universal-declaration-of-player-rights-english-version.pdf
Roosevelt E. Onde começam os direitos humanos? [citado 12 abr 2025]. YouTube; 2021. Disponível em https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj6tFQUfxS4
Brackenridge CH, Rhind D. Child protection in sport: reflections on thirty years of science and activism. Soc Sci. 2014;3(3):326-340. doi: 10.3390/socsci3030326. p. 334.
Vertommen T, Schipper-van Veldhoven N, Wouters K, Kampen JK, Brackenridge CH, Rhind DJ, Neels K, Van Den Eede F. Interpersonal violence against children in sport in the Netherlands and Belgium. Child Abuse Negl. 2016;51:223-236. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.10.006.
Crenshaw KW. Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: a Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics. Univ Chic Leg Forum. 1989;1989(1):139-167.
Gouttebarge V, Castaldelli-Maia JM, Gorczynski P, Hainline B, Hitchcock ME, Kerkhoffs GM, Rice SM, Reardon CL. Occurrence of mental health symptoms and disorders in current and former elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(11):700-706. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-100671.
Baron DA, Reardon CL, Baron SH. Clinical sports psychiatry: an international perspective. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell; 2013.
De Rose Jr D. História e evolução da psicologia do esporte. Rev Paul Educ Fis. 1992;6(2):73-78.
Rubio K. A psicologia do esporte: histórico e áreas de atuação e pesquisa. Psicol Cienc Prof. 1999;19(3):60-69. doi: 10.1590/S1414-98931999000300007.
Moesch K, Kentta G, Kleinert J, Quignon-Fleuret C, Cecil S, Bertollo M. FEPSAC position statement: Mental health disorders in elite athletes and models of service provision. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2018;38:61-71.
Kerr G. Next steps in the safe sport journey: from prevention of harm to optimizing experiences [citado 12 abr 2025]. Toronto: University of Toronto; 2021. Disponível em https://sirc.ca/blog/next-steps-in-the-safe-sport-journey/
Gurgis JJ, Kerr G, Battaglia A. Exploring stakeholders’ interpretations of safe sport. J Sport Soc Issues. 2023;47(1):75-97. doi: 10.1177/01937235221134610.
International Olympic Committee (IOC). Safe sport for athletes: action plan [citado 12 abr 2025]. Lausanne: IOC; 2021. Disponível em https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Document%20Library/IOC/Athletes/Safe-Sport-Initiatives/2021-Safe-Sport-for-athletes-action-plan.pdf
Mountjoy M, Brackenridge C, Arrington M, Blauwet C, Carska-Sheppard A, Fasting K, et al. The IOC consensus statement: harassment and abuse (non-accidental violence) in sport. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(17):1019-1029.
Willson E, Kerr G, Stirling A, Buono S. Prevalence of maltreatment among Canadian national team athletes. J Interpers Violence. 2022;37(21-22):NP19857-NP19879. doi:10.1177/08862605211045096.
Lang M, Hartill M. Safeguarding and child protection in sport in England. In: Lang M, Hartill M, editors. Safeguarding, child protection and abuse in sport: international perspectives in research, policy and practice. London: Routledge; 2015. p. 13-22.
Schmidt RE, Schneeberger AR, Claussen MC. Interpersonal violence against athletes: what we know, what we need to know, and what we should do. Sports Psychiatry. 2022;1(2):78-84. doi: 10.1024/2674-0052/a000014.
Courtois C. Healing the incest wound: adult survivors in therapy. New York: W.W. Norton; 1988.
Scarpati AS, Koller SH. Atendimento a vítimas de violência sexual: revisão da literatura acerca do treinamento de policiais. Psico. 2020;51(1):1-13.
Mountjoy M, Rhind DJA, Tiivas A, Leglise M. Safeguarding the child athlete in sport: a review, a framework and recommendations for the IOC youth athlete development model. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(13):883-886. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094619.
Melo JM. Interpersonal violence among elite athletes in Brazil [tese]. Leuven: University of Leuven; 2022.
Comitê Olímpico Brasileiro (COB). Esporte seguro [citado 12 abr 2025]. Rio de Janeiro: COB. Disponível em https://www.cob.org.br/cultura-educacao/esporte-seguro
Timpka T, Finch CF, Goulet C, et al. Meeting the global demand of sports safety: the intersection of science and policy in sports safety. Sports Med. 2008;38(10):795-805.
World Health Organization (WHO). World report on violence and health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002. p. 6.
Dahlberg LL, Krug EG. Violência: um problema global de saúde pública. Cien Saude Colet. 2006;11(2):277-292. doi: 10.1590/S1413-81232006000500007.
Minayo MC de S, Souza ER de. Violência e saúde como um campo interdisciplinar e de ação coletiva. Hist Cienc Saude Manguinhos. 1997;4(3):513-531.
Aleaga MA, Bernal IL, Gómez MTO. Comportamiento de la violencia intrafamiliar. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr. 1999;15(3):285-292.
Cecílio LP, Garbin CAS, Rovida TAS, Queiroz APD, Garbin AJI. Violência interpessoal: estudo descritivo dos casos não fatais atendidos em uma unidade de urgência e emergência referência de sete municípios do estado de São Paulo, Brasil, 2008 a 2010 [citado 12 abr 2025]. 2012. Disponível em https://repositorio.unesp.br/items/0862646e-5f52-4446-9813-216a183b5888
Stirling AE. Definition and constituents of maltreatment in sport: establishing a conceptual framework for research practitioners. Br J Sports Med. 2009;43(14):1091-9. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2008.051433.
Fortier K, Parent S, Lessard G. Child maltreatment in sport: smashing the wall of silence: a narrative review of physical, sexual, psychological abuses and neglect. Child Abuse Negl. 2020;101:104331. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104331.
Pankowiak A, Woessner MN, Parent S, Vertommen T, Eime R, Spaaij R, Harvey J, Parker AG. Psychological, physical, and sexual violence against children in Australian community sport: frequency, perpetrator, and victim characteristics. J Interpers Violence. 2023;38(3-4):4338-4365. doi:10.1177/08862605221114155.
Alexander K, Stafford A, Lewis R. The experiences of children participating in organized sport in the UK. Study report. London: NSPCC Child Protection Research Centre; 2011.
Dallam SJ, Ortiz AJ, Timon CE, Kang JS, Hamilton MA. Interpersonal violence in elite U.S. athletes: prevalence and mental health correlates. J Aggress Maltreat Trauma. 2024. doi: 10.1080/10926771.2024.2350998.
Ohlert J, Vertommen T, Rulofs B, Rau T, Allroggen M. Elite athletes' experiences of interpersonal violence in organized sport in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Eur J Sport Sci. 2021;21(4):604-613. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1781266.
Oliveira LM. Violência interpessoal em modalidades ginásticas: percepções de ex-ginastas vítimas e implicações na intervenção como treinadores [tese]. Florianópolis: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; 2024.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Olimpianos - Journal of Olympic Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The authors authorize others to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format. Remix, transform, and create from the material. You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
