Essay Sample on Current Issues and Trends in the Governance of Sports

Introduction

Protection of children in sports has emerged as an issue that needs to be addressed by sports organizations (Mountjoy, Rhind, Tiivas & Leglise, 2015). In spite of its numerous benefits, studies have revealed that children in athletics face several threats in the sports realm. As a result, efforts have been made to identify various forms of abuse and formulate measures of curbing them. This paper, therefore, seeks to analyze and summarize an article that discusses the threats faced by child athletes in sports.

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The article, "Safeguarding the child athlete in sport" reviews the concept and suggestions of the International Olympic Committee's youth athlete development model. According to Mountjoy et al (2015), the model is aimed at addressing the threats that child athletes encounter when they participate in sports. The review highlights three major concepts that are involved in child abuse as provided by scientific literature. These include the perpetrators of such abuse, forms of abuse that are currently being studied, and where they occur. The three aspects, therefore, provide a framework for identifying the underlying threats in sports.

Research findings have provided a number of ways through which child athletes can be violated (Mountjoy et al, 2015). According to Gervis & Dunn (2004), emotional abuse is the most common threat to children in athletics. Other forms of abuse highlighted in the article include sexual harassment, doping, medical mismanagement, and alteration of age in documents. However, despite the widening availability of research findings, some gaps have been identified. For instance, the quantification of the prevalence of these threats is lacking. Moreover, there is the need to determine the range in which these threats affect the individuals.

The article has also recognized the measures taken by stakeholders, such as the International Safeguarding Children in Sport Founders Group to protect children in sports. The group formulated eight guidelines that should be adopted by sports organizations to minimize potential risks (Mountjoy et al, 2015). Apart from the stated guidelines, sports organizations are mandated to follow the Olympic Movement Medical Code, which stipulates how athletes should be taken care of by health care professionals.

Safeguarding of children in the sports realm is crucial since child abuse has been rampant recently. Sports are meant to be enjoyable, fulfilling, and beneficial to one's health, hence, should have a safe environment. Children are vulnerable to abuse, and if this happens, their future in sport-related careers is threatened. Identifying the underlying risks and formulating measures of addressing them should be a critical aspect in the governance of sports.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the involvement of child athletes in sports has been shown to have threats apart from its benefits. Sports organizations are encouraged to implement ways of safeguarding these children against any form of abuse in sports. The article in question has, therefore, highlighted some forms of abuse and the suggestions meant to curb them.

References

Gervis, M., & Dunn, N. (2004). The emotional abuse of elite child athletes by their coaches. Child Abuse Review: Journal of the British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, 13(3), 215-223.

Mountjoy, M., Rhind, D. J. A., Tiivas, A., & Leglise, M. (2015). Safeguarding the child athlete in sport: a review, a framework and recommendations for the IOC youth athlete development model. Br J Sports Med, 49(13), 883-886.