Luis Rubiales’ non-consensual kiss of Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso is far from an isolated incident – new research shows gender-based violence is still highly prevalent in sport.
Community sport is supposed to be a safe space for children to play. But rates of abuse are too high, and new research shows the many Australian children never talk about their abusive experiences.
David Beckham says he felt prepared for the nation’s wrath because of how he says he was treated by his father. It’s a familiar story in sport, but evidence shows controlling behaviour doesn’t work.
Sporting bodies and governments need to better understand the issue of widespread abuse in Canadian sports and develop new approaches to tackling the problem.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Scott Barbour
A trauma- and violence-informed approach calls for participants, coaches, managers and organizations to understand the effects of systemic, structural and interpersonal violence.
The development of a new league in 2024 offers the potential for a more unified, higher-profile, higher-paying and more sustainable structure for women’s hockey.
The recent measures announced by the sport minister are a step in the right direction. But Canada needs an independent commission to monitor and prevent abuse in sport.
Efforts are underway to clean up sport in Canada, but if sporting bodies and athletes want to prevent abuse from occurring, we must re-engineer the structures, policies and practices that lead to abuse in the first place.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Athletes often recount how, at the very least, sport built their character and at the very most, saved their lives. But currently, Canadian sport itself needs rebuilding.
Only when the full extent of the wrongdoing has been identified can real progress be made.
(Shutterstock)
By addressing the root causes of violence, we can reimagine systems to allow for more supportive, safe and accountable sport communities.
There have been calls for a judicial inquiry into abuse in Canadian sport, but a restorative approach would better protect athletes.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
There are growing calls for a judicial inquiry to investigate abuse in Canadian sport. We argue that there are better alternatives to address the problem.
In the wake of sexual abuse allegations, Hockey Canada acknowledged it failed to “end the culture of toxic behavior” but grossly misunderstood and miscalculated the depth and breadth of the problem.
(Shutterstock)
Sexual abuse allegations in Canadian hockey reveal the toxic masculinity that has permeated across sport culture.
Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) is an important first step, but for meaningful change to take place the federal government must embrace an independent, third-party judicial inquiry.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The federal government has created a Sport Integrity Commissioner to help athletes dealing with abuse. But for change to be meaningful, third-party investigators must be part of the process.
Blake Bennett, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Policies to protect children in sport have been poorly understood by coaches and sports organisations. What can we do to ensure kids are safe but are also getting the most out of playing sport?
The gymnast Ellie Downie and her sister Becky have joined a group of gymnasts speaking out about shocking abuse in the British Gymnastics team.
MIRCEA ROSCA/EPA